:^'/^3j^j^    -  "/fa/hi  c- /7S3 


7 

— . ■       •  /      ,    /< 


^/.         5Mr 


Dr,  Mayhew's 

DISCOURSE 

O  N 

POPISH  IDOLATRY. 


liUt^ 


POPISH  IDOLATRY  ; 

A 

D  I-^  C  O  U  R  S  E 

PELIVERED    IN    THE 

CHAPEL  OF  HARVARD-COLLEGE 

IN 

CAMBRIDGE,    NEW-ENGLAND^ 
May   8.   1765. 

AT     THE 

LECTURE  founded  by  the  Honorable 

PAUL  DUDLEY,  Esc^uire, 

B  Y 

Jonathan  Mayhew,  D.  D. 

Pastor  of  the  West  Church  in  Boston. 


^ '  If  any  man  that  is  called  a  brother  be  —  an  idolater-— 

'  with  fuch  an  one  no  not  to  eat.'     Apoftle  Paul. 
. '  Be  not  deceived  :   Neither  fornicators,  nor  idolaters 

♦  (hall  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God.'     Idem. 
c— — '  Idolaters — fhall  have  their  part  in  the  lake  which  burnetla 

'  with  fire  and  brimPione  ;  which  is  the  fecond  death,' 

Apoftle  John, 
. 'Without  are  dogs and  idolaters' Id. 


BOSTON: 
Prioted  by  R.Sc  S. Draper,  Edes  &GiLL,andT.  &J. Fleet 


MOCCLXTo 


J 


(     5     ) 


2  Corinth.  VI.   i6. 

^-^What  agreement  hath  the  temple  of 
GOD  with  idols  ?— 

0>^xOx^>-<QW  O  branches  of  the  popifh  con- 
^  -^-^-^J-  'i  troverfy,  viz.  the  infalHbility 
6  T  T  O  ^'""^  fupremacy  claimed  by  the 
I  T_  ^  5  bifhop  and  church  of  Rome, 
Q^X^A  ^^^^^  handled  by  the  two  aged 
""^  and  learned  divines  t»  whom  I 
have  the  honor  to  fuccecd  in  this  department 
of  the  Dudleian  LeBurc.  It  is  now  propofed, 
by  divine  affillance,  to  offer  fomething  con- 
cerning the  idolatry  of  that  church  ;  it  being 
one  of  the  capital  errors  objedled  againft  her. 
This  branch  of  the  controverfy  alone  is  ^o 
fruitful,  that  it  would  require  many  difcourfcs 
to  handle  it  in  all  its  extent  and  variety. 
This  learned  audience  will,  therefore,  expeft 
nothing  more  in  a  fingle  difcourfe,  tho'  long, 
than  a  general  idea  of  popifh  idolatry  ;  an 
imperfed  iketch,  the  outlines  of  it. 

Idolatry 

I    The    Rev.    Edwaro  Wigguesv/orth,  D.  D.  late 
Hoi>Li3    Pfofeflbr   of  Divinity  ;    and  the   J^ey,    Mr. 

Thomas   FoscRcrr^  of  Boston,, 


6  The  Idolatry  ofworjhipping 

Idolatry  confifts  in  general  in  the  fervice  of 
idols,  or  falfe,  imaginary  deities.  But  this,. like 
all  other  crimes,  admits  of  various  degrees. 
The  vvorfhip  of  a  creature  under  the  formal 
notion  of  its  being  the  true  God,  exclufively 
of  him,  is  the  grofiell  kind  of  idolatry.  The 
worfhip  of  any  creature  in  common  with  him, 
as  though  it  were  equally  God,  is  a  lower,  but 
flill  very  high  degree  of  it.  A  third  fpecics 
thereof  is  paying  fuch  fervice  to  creatures,  un- 
der the  notion  of  religion,  as  God  hath  forbid- 
den, and  as  tliey  are  unworthy  of  ;  although 
it  may  be  profeftedly  paid  to  them,  not  as  gods, 
but  in  fubordination  to  him,  as  the  ultimate 
obje(fl  of  worlhip.  It  is  alfo  idolatry  to  wor- 
ihip  the  true  God  by  images,  or  under  any 
fuppofed  material  reprefentations  of  him.  And 
it  may  be  laid  down  as  a  general  rule,  that  all 
fuch  practices  as  the  fcripture  hath  condemned 
as  idolatrous  in  Jews  or  Pagans,  are  equally 
idolatrous  in  profcfTcd  Chriflians. 

Proteflants  have  not  accufed  Papifts  of  the 
firft  and  grofTcfl:  kind  of  idolatry,  or  worlhip- 
ping  idols  exclufively  of  the  true  God  ;  but 
they  have  charged  them  with  all  the  others  : 
And  to  make  good  this  old  accufation,  is  the 
"bufinefs  now  before  me.  In  the  profecution 
of  which,  a  fummary  account  will  be  given  of 
the  doctrine  and  practice  of  the  church  of 
Rome  refpecling  the  worHiip  of  the  eucharid, 
faints  v^nd  angels,  pi^flures  and  images. 

Chriflians 


the  Eucharijh  y. 

Chriftians  early  began  to  fpeak  too  myfli- 
cally,  not  to  fay  unintelligibly,  concerning  the 
euchariil,  or  Lord's  fupper.  They  did  fo  more 
and  morcjtillthe  doctrine  of  tranfubllanciation, 
and  the  worlhip  of  the  facrament,  wereiully 
eflablifhed.  The  council  of  Trent,  confirmed 
by  pope  Pius  IV,  and  confidered  as  an  authen- 
tic itandard  of  popery,  defines  the  doetrine  of 
the  church  of  Rome  as  to  this, and  many  other 
points,  more  particularly  than  had  been  done 
by  any  former  council.  In  iefTion  13th  that 
council  declareth  as  follows  :  '  Principio  do- 
'  cet  fanda  fynodus,'  &c.  In  the  firji  place  the 
holy  fynod  t cachet h,  and  openly  and  Jimply  pro- 
fejjeth,  thdt  in  the  pure  Jacrament  of  the  holy 
cHcharift^  after  the  confecratlon  of  the  bread 
and  luine^  our  Lord  Jefus  Chr'ift,  true  God  and-. 
vian,  is  truly ^  really  and  fiihftantially  contained  un- 
der the  fpecies  [or  appearances]  of  thofe  fenfihls 
things^.  This  great  myftery  is  increafed  in 
chapter  3d  of  the  fame  feflion,  where  the  coun- 
cil attempts  to  explain  it.  It  is  there  faid, 
*  Statim  pofl  confecrationcm,'  &c.  That  ini- 
mediately  after  confecratlon^  the  true  body  of  our. 
Lord^  and  his  true  bloody  exift  under  the  fpecies  of 
bread  and  ivine ^together  ^anth  his  foul  andDivinity  ; 
his  body  indeed  under  the  fpecies  of  bread,  end  his 
blood  under  the  fpecies  of  wine,  by  virtue  of  the 
I'jords  [of  confecration  ;]  but  the  body  itf  elf  un- 
der the  fpecies  ofivifie,  and  the  blood  under  the 
fpecies  oj  bread,  and  the  foul  under  both,  by  virtue 
of  thai  natural  connexion  and  concomitancj,  by  'cuhich 

the 

■\  Cone,  Trident.  S^ciT.  13.  .c,?p;   i. 


8  T^t?  Idolatry  of  worjhipping 

the  parts  of  Cbriji  the  Lord,  who  prefentJy  roje 
from  the  dead  to  die  no  more^  are  united  together ; 
and  alfb  theDivinity,  becati/e  of  the  admirable  hy- 
poftatical  union  thereof  -with  the  body  and  foul. 
Wherefore  it  is  mofi  true,  that  one  and  the  fame 
thing  [or  as  much*]  is  contained  under  either 
fpecies,  and  under  both  :  for  whole  and  perfeB 
Chrif}  exifleth  under  the  fpecies  of  bread,  and  un- 
der every  part  of  its  fpecies  ;  alfo  under  the  fpe- 
cies ofiuine,  and  under  its  parts. 

Thus  thefe  venerable  fathers.  And  this 
wonderful  change  of  the  bread  and  wine  is 
faid,  in  the  next  chapter,  to  have  been  conve- 
niently and  properly  called  tranfuhflantiation.  It 
follows,  chapter  jth,  *  Nullus  itaque  dubitandi 
*  locus  relinquitur,'  &c.  There  is  therefore  no 
room  left  for  doubt,  but  that  ail  the  faithful  of 
Chrift,  according  to  the  praBice  ever  received  in 
the  catholic  church,  fould  in  reverence  give  the 
worfiip  of  latria,  which  is  due  to  the  true  God, 
ta  this  7noft  holy  facrament.  For  neither  is  it 
therefore  the  lefs  to  be  adored,  becmfe  it  was  in- 
flltuted  by  Chrift  the  Lord,  to  be  taken  [or  eaten 
and  drunk]  J.  Thus  the  council  :  And  in  the 
Roman  ritual  this  lacramcnt  is  honored  with 
the  title  of  our  Creator. 

It  muft  be  obfcrved  here,  that  the  church 
of  Rome  diilinguifhes  wordiip  into  latria,  du- 
lia,  hyperdulia  and  coadoration.  By  the  firll 
of  which,  latria,  they  underfland  the  higheft 
kind  of  worfliip,  or  that  which  is  due  to  God 
alone.     And  the  council  of  Trent  exprefly 

declares, 

*  tantwrnOcfn.  %  ut  fumatur. 


the  Euchar'jft,  ^ 

declares,  that  the  eucharlft  is  to  be  worfhipped 
therewith.  The  do(rrrine  and  pra(5lice  of  the 
church  of  Rome  in  this  refpe<5l  are  exactly  con- 
formable to  each  other.  The  eucharift  is  wor- 
fhipped by  them  in  the  moftfolemn  manner,  with 
proftrations,  prayers  and  incenfe.  The  hoft  is 
often  carried  in  proceflions,  with  the  greated 
folemnity :  And  thofe  who  are  but  cafually  pre- 
fent  where  it  paiTes  along,  are  obliged  to  kneel 
down,  as  in  an  ad:  of  worlhip  to  God ;  unlefs, 
perhaps,  they  will  run  the  rifque  of  the  inqui- 
fition,  or  of  being  knocked  on  the  head  by  the 
devout  rabble  that  attend  it.* 

B  Their 

*  it  IS  well  known,  that  the  chief  accufation  againft  the  old 
reformers,  was,  that  they  denied  tranfubftantiation ;  tho' 
feme  even  of  thofe  who  fuffered  death,  particularly  John  Hus 
and  Jerom  of  Prague,  did  not  differ  matefiaUy  from  the 
oliurch  of  Rome  in  this  point  ;  as  plainly  appears  from  Monf. 
Lenfant's  Hiftory  of  th.e  council  of  Conjiance.  And  what  great 
ftrefs  the  cliurch  of  Rome  lays  upon  this  doflrine,  as  a  mod 
ciiriinguilhing  and  eifenti^l  article  of  faith,  will  further  appear 
from  the  canons,  i.  e.  curfes,  of  the  council  of  Trent,  fefl",  13. 
^:oii^L'  of  which  are  here  faithfully  tranflated,  partly  with  that 
view,  and  partly  with  a  view  to  give  the  unlearned  reader  a 
clearer  idea  of  what  the  church  of  Rome  holds,  as  to  this 
matter.     They  are  as  follows. 

Canon  i.  "Si  quis  negaverir,'  &c.  *  If  any  one  {hall  deny,  that 
in  the  moil  holy  facrament  of  the  eucharift  the  body  and  blood, 
together  with  the  foul  and  divinity  of  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrift, 
are  truly,  really  and  fubftantiaUy  contained,  and  therefore 
■whole  Chrift  ;  but  fhall  fay,  they  are  in  it  only  as  in  a  fign, 
or  figure,  or  in  virtue  ;    let  him  be  anathema,'' 

Can.  II.  '  If  anyone  lliall  fay,  that  the  fubUance  of  bread  and 
wine  remain  in  the  holy  facrament  of  the  eucharift,  together 
with  the  body  and  blood  of  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrill  ;  and  fhall 
deny  that  admirable  and  fingular  converfion  of  the  whole 
fublUcce  of  bread  into  body,  aod  of  the  whole  fubftance  of 

•wine 


io  The  Idolatry  of  worjlnpping 

,  Their  dot^rine  and  worfhip  being  harmo- 
nious in  this  refpe^l ;  it  follows,  that  if  the 
do<51rine  of  tranfubliantiation  is  falfe,  their  wor- 
fhip grounded  thereon  is  idolatry.  It  is  be- 
yond the  defign  of  this  difcourfe  to  enter  into 
a  particular  difcufiion  of  that  do6lnne,  or  the 
arguments  by  which  it  is  defended  :  It  Ihall 
fuffice  to  obferve  a  few  things  with  relation 
thereto. 

This  do(5trine  is  as  plainly  abfurd,  felf-re- 
pugnant,  and  impoffible  to  be  true,  as  any  one 
that  can  be  imagined.  For  what  can  be  more 
.fo,  than  that  bread  and  wine  fhould  be  changed 
into  the  very  body  and  blood  of  Chrift;  while 
yet  all  the  known  properties  of  bread  and  wine 
remain,  without  the  fubje6t  or  fubftance  ;  and 
none  of  the  peculiar  properties  of  flefh  or 
blood  are  perceived  ?  What  more  impoilible, 
than  that  this  bread  and  wine  fhould  alfo  be 
changed,  at  the  fame  time,  into  an  human  foul, 
and  into  the  very  fubftance  of  the  Deity  ?  This 

do6trine 

wine  into  blood,  the  fpecies  [or  appearance]  only  of  bread 
and  wine  remaining;  which  converfion,  indeed,  the  catholic 
church moft  fiUy calls tranfubftantiation;  \eth.\vciht anathema.^ 

Can.  III.  ♦  if  any  one  fhall  deny,  that  in  the  venerable  facra- 
ment  of  the  evicharift  whole  Chrift  is  contained  under  each 
fpecies,  and  under  the  feveral  parts  of  each  fpecies  ;  let  him 
be  anathema.^ 

On.  VI,  '  If  any  one  (hall  fay,  that  in  the  holy  facrament  of 
the  eucharift,  Chrift  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God  is  not  to 
be  adored  with  the  worfhip  of  latria,  even  external ; — let 
him  be  anathema.* 

So  important  a  dodrine  is  this,  in  the  church  of  Rome  :  And 
more  perfons,  it  is  apprehended,  have  fuffered  death  from  her 
for  denying  it,  and  refufmg  to  worfiiip  the  eucharift,  than  for 
^rty  other  Ibppofed  hsrefy  whatever. 


the  Eucharljl,  1 1 

d[0(5lrlne  fuppofcs  alfo,  that  the  fame  undivided 
body  of  Chrifl:  may  be  wholly  in  heaven  and 
wholly  on  earth,  and  in  ten  million  different 
places  on  earth,  at  the  fame  time.  It  fuppofes; 
that  tho'  the  bread  is  wholly  changed  into  body, 
and  the  wine  wholly  into  blood  ;  yet  both  the 
body  and  blood  of  Chrifl:,  the  foul  and  Divinity, 
exifl:  wholly  and  perfectly  under  each  of  the 
fpecies  feperately  confidered,  and  under  every 
part  thereof,  be  they  ever  fo  minute  and  nume- 
rous: Every  apparent  crumb  of  confecrated 
wafer,  and  each  drop  of  confecrated  wine,  how- 
ever fmall,  contains  whole,  in  tire  Chrifl  un- 
der that  fpecies  ;  body,  blood,  foul  and  Divi- 
nity ;  and  yet  it  is  owned,  that  there  is  but  one 
Chrifl  !  Befides  ;  this  doctrine  fuppofes,  that 
when  our  Lord  inflitutcd  the  fupper,  he  took 
his  whole  body  into  his  ov/n  hand,  which  was 
but  a  part  of  it ;  put  himfelf  into  his  own 
mouth,  fwallowed  down  his  intire  body  in- 
to his  flomach,  and  at  the  fame  time  gave  his 
body  and  blood  to  be  wholly  eaten  and  drunk 
by  each  of  his  apoflles  !  Could  the  mofl  fertile 
imagination  invent  groffer,  more  ridiculous,  or 
more  impious  incongruities  ? 

The  evidence  of  fenfe  is  the  moft  certain, 
that  we  are  capable  of;  and  by  this  we  know 
that  tranfubflantiation  is  falfe.  The  Romanifl's 
do  not  pretend  to  deny,  but  that  all  the  five 
fenfes  bear  teflimony  againft  it,  as  much  as  they 
pofTibly  could  if  it  were  falfe,  or  if  the  bread 
and  wine  remained  after  the  iu^olinfj,  hocu?- 

B    2  pOCU=J 


X2  The  Idolatry  of -worjhippmg 

pocusf  trick,  which  they  term  confecration. 
It  is,  therefore,  at  beft  weak  and  puerile,  in  fuch 
a  cafe  as  this,  to  urge  the  teflimony  of  fcripture, 
or  divine  revelation.  For  the  truth  oftheChrif- 
tian  revelation  itfelf  depends  on  the  truth  of 
certain  fads,  by  which  there  was  an  appeal  made 
to  the  fenfcs  of  men  ;  particularly  the  miracles 
and  refurrecftion  of  our  Saviour.  The  evidence 
of  fenfe  being  fet  afide  as  precarious,  it  cannot 
be  proved  that  ever  our  Lord  uttered  thofc 
words,  *  This  is  my  body' ;  that  he  had  any 
body  at  all ;  or  that  there  was  ever  fuch  a  per- 
fon  in  the  world,  as  '  the  man  Chrift  Jefus,'  In 
diftindlion  from  a  mere  phantafm,  or,  in  the 
language  of  our  adverfarics,  from  the  /pedes  of 
a  man.  Thus  does  the  church  of  Rome,  by 
this  doiftrinc,  fubvert  the  very  foundations  of 
chriflianity.  We  cannot  be  more  certain,  that 
any  one  thing  in  nature  is  what  it  appears 
to  be,  and  not  another,  the  mod  different 
therefrom,  than  that  true  bread  and  wine  re- 
main after  ccufecration  ;  and  confcquently, 
that  tranfubllantiation  is  the  grofFcfl:  impofition 
and  infult,  that  ever  the  priclHiood  itfelf  put 
ppon  the  fuperlHtious  creiiulity  of  mankind. 

This  do(flrine  then,  being  plainly  falfe,  the 
church  of  Rome  is  certainly  guilty  of  idolatry^ 
in  worfliipping  the  eucharift  as  true  God.  For 
what  is  idolatry,  if  it  be  not  fo,  to  believe  a 
creature  to  be  the  Creator,  and  to  pay  divine 
hom.agc  thereto   accordingly  I  Befides ;  when, 

to 

f  Hocus-pocus  ftems  onl/  a  rornint  pronunciatu-n   uf  livs 
■Jj}  cor^m,  •  ■ 


the  Euchariji,  15 

to  juftify  their  worlhip  of  the  cucharift,  fo 
often  objected  again  ft  as  idolatry,  they  alledge 
tranfubftantiation  ;  making  this  fuppofed  change 
the  ground  of  their  worfhip  ;  this  is  an  implicit 
acknowledgment,  that  their  worfhip  would 
actually  be  idolatrous,  M  there  were  no  fuch 
change  :  For  why  is  this  alledged,  to  exculpate 
themfelves,  if  their  worfhip  of  the  eucharift 
would  not  be  idolatry  without  it  ? 

Some  Roman-catholics  have,  indeed,  ex- 
prefly  owned  this  confequencc.  Cofterus  par- 
ricularly,  a  iearned  jel'uit,  exprelTeth  himfelf 
very  llrongly,  as  cited  by  doflcr  H.  More. 
Saith  he,  '  The  errors  of  thofe  were  more  to- 
*■  ierable,  who  worfhipped  fome  golden  or  filvcr 

*  ilatue,  or  fome  image  of  any  other  materials, 

*  for  their  God,    as  the   heathen   worfhipped 

*  their  gods ;  or  a  red  cloth  hung  upon  the 
'  top  of  a  fpear,  as  is  reported  of  the  Laplan- 

*  dcrs ;    or  fome   IPve  animal,    as  of  old    the 

*  Egyptians    did ;    than   thofe  who  worfhip  a 

*  bit  of  bread,  as  hitherto   the   Chriftians  have 

*  done  all  over  the  world,   if  the  doftrine  of 

*  tranfubftantiation  be  not  true.'  Thus  do 
fome  Roman-catholics  fully  agree  with  us  in 
this  confequence ;  but  others  deny  it.  And 
the  fubftance  of  what  the  latter  fay,  is,  That 
tlio'  tranfubftatiation  fhould  be  falfe  ;  yet  the 
Deity  is  certainly  there  prefent  in  the  bread  and 
wine,  fo  that  they  do  not  mifs  of  the  proper 
oh]tt\  of  adoration,  while  they  feem  to  wor- 
ship thcfe  materi'^i   objcfts  •    And,  that  they 

eannof 


1^         The  Idolatry  of  ivorpiipping 

cannot  be  juftly  charged  with  idolatry,  becaufe 
they  do  not  intentionally  worlhip  a  creature, 
knowing  it  to,  be  fo,  but  firmly  believing  it  to 
be  true  God.  Thus  they  try  to  exculpate 
themfelves,  on  the  very  difagreeable  fuppofition 
that  tranfubftantiation  is  an  error,  and  their  in- 
fallibility miftakcn  ;  whether  effectually,  or  not, 
jpiay  appear  from  the  following  confidcrations. 
The  divine  nature  is  efTentialiy  eyery-where  ; 
intimately  and  equally  prefent  in  all  fenfible 
pbje(fls  throughout  the  univerfe.  And  if  mere- 
ly the  divine  prefence  in  an  object,  will  excufe 
its  worlhippcrs  from  idolatry,  then  all  other 
creatures  may  be  worfhipped  without  idolatry, 
as  well  as  the  eucharift  ;  provided  the  wor-r 
fhippcrs  intentionally  dir€<^  their  devotions 
ultimately,  not  to  thefe  objeCls  abftra<^tly  con- 
fidered,  but  as  fymbols  of  the,  Deity  prefent  in 
^hern.  This  is  a  plain  confequence,  and  allow- 
ed by  fome  Koman-catholics.  Thus,  np  perfon, 
who  is  a  believer  in  the  true  God,  an  omni- 
prefent  being,  can  ever  be  guilty  of  idolatry, 
how  m.any  material  objeds  ioever  he  may 
worfhip  in  the  fame  fenfe  that  the  Romanics 
worjfhip  bread  and  wine  in  the  eucharift.  Tho' 
^e^ch  of  thefe  objecfls  is  fuppofed  to  be  God, 
.'and  worfhipped  under  that  perfuafion  ;  and 
tho'  the  votary  would  be  millaken  in  this 
refpc<5l ;  yet  he  would  not  mifs  of  the  proper 
objecl  of  adoration,  becaufe,  the  v/orft  come  to 
the  worft,  God  is  prefent  therein,  whom  he 
intends  to  worfliip  ;  which  is  fufficicnt  to  clear 

him 


the  lEuchariji.  ij 

him  from  idolatry.  For  example ;  if  one  per- 
fon  fhould  worfhip  the  fun,  another  an  image 
of  wood  or  brafs,  a  third  a  man,  a  fourth,  i. 
beaft,  and  the  fifth  a  devil,  even  with  latria  j 
each  of  the  devonionifts  being  fo  infatuated  a'S 
to  believe  the  object  of  his  worfhip  the  living 
and  true  God ;  Roman-catholics  could  not, 
upon  the  principle  aforelaid,  chargic  them  with 
idolatry  ;  or  do  it  without  condemning  them- 
felves.  They  would,  indeed,  be  miftaken,  but 
not  idolaters ;  becaufe  it  was  their  intention  to 
worfhip  the  true  God. 

But  all  idolatry,  when  people  are  flnccrc  in 
their  worfhip,  fuppofeth  fome  miflake,  or  error 
in  the  judgment,  either  as  to  the  obje^  or  the 
a6t  of  worfhip.  Without  fome  erroneous  bpi- 
nions  there  can  be  no  idolatry :  And,  as  a 
learned  divine  hath  juftly  obferved,  where  this 
fin  is  committed  the  mofi  in  good  earneji^  there 
is  the  greatelt  miftake  in  the  judgment  of  the 
worfhippcr.  But  they  who  alledge,  thdt  a 
miftake  with  refpe(5t  to  tranfubftantiatioh,  if  it 
be  really  one,  excufes  the  worfhippers  of  the 
bread  and  wine  from  idolatry,  becaufe  they 
think  they  are  worfhipping  God  ;  do  in  effed 
fay,  that  idolatry  cannot  be  committed  by  any 
one,  who  is  fo  erroneous  as  to  believe  the 
creature  he  worfhippeth  to  be  God  mofi  high. 
This  is  quite  abfurd :  For  according  to  this 
way  of  rcafoning,  the  more  ignorantly  and  ftu- 
pidly  any  worfhip  mere  creatures,  believing  their 
proper  D^ity,  and  ths  more  devoutly  they  adore 

them  I 


1 6  The  Idolatry  of  -worjhipplng 

them  ;  fo  much  lefs  liable  they  are  to  the  im- 
putation of  idolatry.     But  the  direft  contrary 
is  manifeftly  true :  By   how  much  more  fin- 
cerely  any  believe  a  creature    to   be  the  true 
God,  and  worfhip  it  as  fuch ;  by  fo  much  the 
more  grofs  is   their  idolatry.     Let  us  fuppofe, 
for  illuftration,  that  among  the  Ifraelites  of  old, 
who  worfhlpped  golden  calves,  there  were  per- 
fbns  of  different  opinions ;  that  fome  adored 
them  merely  as  fymbols,   or  reprefentations  of 
the  true  God ;  but  that  others  were  fo  fottlfii 
as  to  believe  the  calf,    to  which  they  bowed 
down,  was  really  Jehovah  himfelf  under  the 
appearance  ot  /pedes  of  a  calf;  even  the  very 
God  that  created,  and   brought  them  out  of 
Egypt.     Now,   on  this  fuppofition,  would  any 
fenfible  man  fay,  that  the  former  were,  indeed, 
guilty  of  idolatry,  but  not  the  latter  ;  becaufe 
they  believed  this  four-footed  beaft  to  be  their 
Creator  \  Ought  it  not  to  be  faid,  on  the  con- 
trary,  that   they   were,   for   that  very  reafon, 
more  brutifh  idolaters  than  the  others,  who 
worfhipped   it   only  as  an  image  or  fymbol  of 
the  Godhead  ?    Or  let  us  apply   this  to   the 
heathens.    The  ignorant  vulgar,  who  worfhip- 
ped fenfible  objefts  as  real  deities,  were  ever 
and  juftly  accounted  more  fottifh  idolaters  than 
thofe  fpeculative  perfons,  who  had  no  fuch  high 
opinion  of  thefe  objefts,  but  worfhipped   them 
merely  as  reprefentations  of  the  gods ;  or  rather, 
as  fome  of  them  feem  to  have  done,  of  the  vari- 
ous  powers,  virtues   and  perfeflions   of  one 

almighty, 


the  Euchariji.  17 

almighty,  fpirkual  and  Invlfible  being.  Thus,  if 
among  the  andent  Perfians   fome  adored   the 
rifing  fun,  only  as  the  moft  glorious  fymboi  of 
rile  Deity,  and  a  principal  mean  or  inftrument 
cf  his  munificence,  while  others   worfhipped  it 
as'  being  itfelf  God  ;  the   idolatry  of  the  latter 
was  certainly  more  grofs  than  that  of  the  for- 
mer.    By  the   fame  rule,   the  more   fincerely 
any  believe   tranlubftantiation,  and  worfhip  the 
eiicharifl-  as  God  ;  the  more  fottifh  is  their  ido- 
latry.   Their  idolatry  would  be  lefs  fcandalous, 
thb'  real,  if  they  worfhipped  it  merely  as  a  re- 
prefentation  oFthe  Deity,  or  a  facred  memorial 
of  our  redemption   by  Chrift.     And  here  it  is 
natural  to  obferve,  that  the  idolatry  of  the  Ro- 
manifts  is  more  grofs  in   this  refpecfl-,  than  that 
of  the  Ifraelites   in  worihipping  golden  calves, 
or  than  many   perfons,  even  among  the  Pagans, 
were  chargeable  with.     There  is  no  good  rea- 
foil'  to  think,  that  the  Ifraelites  believed  a  gol- 
den calf,  which  they  had  juft  made,  to  be  the 
triieGod,  theirCreator ;  as  the  Papifh  do,  bread 
and  wine.     And  it  is  certain,  that  fome  of  the 
more  intelligent  heathens  difclaimed,  with  much 
indignation,   the  thought  of  worfhipping  any 
material  obje(5ls ,  otherwife   than  as  fymbols  of 
the  Deity  ;  while  the  vulgar  adored   them,  as 
having   divinity  belonging   to  them.     So  that 
popifh  idolatry,    in  this    refped,    approachedi 
nearer  to  that  of  vulgar  Pagans,  than  to  that  of 
the  more  enlightened  among   them.     And  in- 
deed,  none  of  them  were  ever  fo   brutal  and 
favage,  as  to  eat  what  he  took  for  a  deity  :  at 
C  leait 


I  8       l.'he  Idolatry  oj  worjhipping 

leaft  we  read  of  no  fuch  fed:  as  that  of  God- 
eaters,  even  in  the  moft  barbarous  nations 
and  ages.  And  ic  is  certain  that  theEgy  ptians, 
who  worfliipped  many  forts  of  animals,  roots 
and  vegetables,  that  were  good  for  food,  as 
gods  ;  yet  thought  it  impious  at  once  to  adore 
and  devour  them  :  But  the  Papiits,  it  fccms, 
are  lefs  delicate,  or  fqueamifh. 

Let  me  difmifs  this  part  of  thcfubjecl  with 
a  remark  of  the  late  Dr.  Middleton,  agreeable 
to  what  was  juil:  now  faid,  in  his  excellent 
Letter  from  Kome,  fliewing  an  exac^l  con- 
formity between  popery  and  paganifm  in 
many   particulars.     '  As   to    that  celebrated 

*  ad  of  popifh  idolatry,  the  worfliip  of  the 
'  hofl,'  faith  he,  '  I  mud  confefs,  that  I  can- 

*  not  find  the  lead  refemblance  of  it   in  any 

*  part  of  the  pagan  worfhip  :  and  as  often  as 
^  I  have  been  llanding  by   at  mafs,  and  feen 

*  the  whole   congregation    proftrate    on    the 

*  ground,  in  the  humbled  pollute  of  adoring; 

*  I  could  not   help   reflecting  on  a  padage  of 

*  Tully,  when  fpeaking  of  the  ablurdity  of 
'  the  heathens    in  the  choice  of  their  gods  : 

*  But  lUcis  inaii,  fays  he,  ever  fo  mad  as  to  take 

*  ti)at  which  he  feeds  upon  far  a  god  ?    §   This 

*  was  an  extravagance  refcrved  for  popery  a- 
^  lone:  And  what  an  c/^  Roman  could  not 
'  but  think  too  grofs  even  for  Egyptian  idola- 

*  try  to  fwallow,  is  now  become  the  princi- 
'  pal  part  of  worlhip,  and  the  mod  didinguiih- 

*  ing  article  of  faith,  in  modern  Rome.* 

LET 

^  Scd  ecquem  tarn  amentcctt  cflc  putas,  qui  iHu-i,  quo  vefcatur, 
Dcum  crcdat  ciTc.  Cic.  dc  Na.  Pcor.  jjj. 


Saints  and  Angels,  19 

LET  us  now  proceed  to  the  worfliip  of 
faints  and  angels,  as  pradifed  in  tiie  fame 
church  ;  by  which  the  charge  of  idolatry  will 
be  further  fixed  upon  her. 

The  worfliip  of  demons,  or  the  fouls  of 
renowned  perfons  after  their  deceafe,  is  a  very 
ancient  fpecies  of  idolatry  ;  as  fome  fuppofe, 
even  more  ancient  than  the  flood.  Be  that  as 
it  may,  this  became  afterward  almoft  an  uni- 
verfal  pradice.  For  it  is  pall  difpute,  that 
the  greater  part  of  the  gods  and  goddeffes 
worfhipped  by  the  heathens,  were  demons ; 
deceafed  heroes  and  kings,  the  inventors  of 
arts,  and  other  famous  perfons,  male  and  fe- 
male. This  kind  of  worfliip  was  flriclly  pro- 
hibited to  the  Ifraelites  ;  but  yet  they  forae- 
times  fell  into  it,  in  conformity  to  their  hea- 
then neighbours.  Chriftianity,  which  was 
defigned  to  be  the  religion  of  the  world,  not 
of  one  nation  only,  was  particularly  adapted 
to  put  an  end  to  this,  and  all  other  kinds  of 
fuperfl:itious,falfe  worfliip  among  the  Gentiles; 
and  to  eftablifli  that  of  one  God,  by  one  Me- 
diator, thro'out  the  earth.     *  For  there  is  one 

*  God,  and  one  Mediator  between   God  and 
'  men,  the  man  Chrift  Jefus ;  who  gave  him- 

*  felf  a  ranfom  for  all,  to  be  teilified  in  due 

*  time.'f     And  *  there  is  none  other  God  but 

*  one.     Fortho'  there  be  that  are  called  gods, 

*  whether  in  heaven  or  in  earth,  (as  there  be 

*  god$  many,  and  lords  many,)  but  to  us  there 

*  is  but  one  God,  the  Father,  of  v*'hom  are 

C  2  *  all 

t  I  Tim.  ii.  ^. 


20       l^he  Idolatry  of  worjhipping 

*  all  things,  and  we  by  him ;  and  oneLord,  Jefus 

*  Chrilt,  &c. '  *  The  primary  bufmefs  oi  the 
apoftlcs,  when  they  went  among  the  Gentiles, 
W'as  ro  convert  them  from  the  worlliip  of  de- 
mons, and  other  idols,  to  the  faith  and  wor- 
fhip  of  the  tru-e  God.  *  We  preach  unto  you/ 
laid  they, '  that  ye  fhould  turn  from  rhefe  vani- 

*  ties  unto  thelivingGod,  which  made  heaven 

*  and  earth,  and  the  fea,  and  all  things  that 
'  are  therein  '||.  Daring  the  apoftolic  age,  and 
fome  time  after,  Chrillians  in  general  were  fo 
averfe  to  the  worfhip  of  demons,  and  all  other 
forts  of  idolatry,  that  they  determinately  re- 
fufed  any  compliances  with  the  worOiip  of 
their  heathen  neighbours,  even  at  the  expence 
of  their  blood.  They  conlldered  the  worfhip 
of  angels  and  demons  as  inconfiiient  with  the 
religion  v/high  they  profeiTed  ;  and  as  what 
would  have  been  an  imphcit  renunciation  of 
it.  But  the  church  of  Rome  is,  in  effed:,  for 
reconcihng  thefe  things  together  ;  even  the 
temple  of  God  "with  idols.  For  many  ages  paft, 
the  worfhip  of  demons,  or  angels,  and  the 
fouls  of  dead  men  and  women,  has  been  fully 
eftablifhed  therein,  and  as  much  pia(^fifed  as 
ever  thelike  worfliip  was  among  the  heathens. 
The  chief  difference  is,  that  the  Romanics  do 
not  call  the  faints  or  angels  gods  and  goddefles; 
though,  for  aught  that  appears,  they  attribute 
as  much  power  to  them  at  leaft,  as  the  pagans 
did  to  their  inferior  deities  ;  and  depend  as 
much  upon  them. 

The 

*  I  Cor,  vuL  4,  5,  6.      |1  A<^3  sir. 


Saints  and  Angels.  21 

The  rife  and  progrefs  of  this  fpecies  of  idola- 
try in  the  Chriftian  church,  was  briefly  as 
follows.  The  martyrs  were  juftly  held  ia 
great  honor  after  their  deceafe.  The  csemete- 
ries,  or  pUces  of  their  burial,  ufed  to  be  much 
frequented,  even  from  the  earHeft  times  : 
There  the  people  prayed,  not  to  them  indeed, 
but  to  God  ;  and  fometimes  fung  hymns  in 
honor  of  their  memory.  All  this  was  done 
for  fome  time,  without  any  thought  of  wor- 
jfhipping  them,  though  not  wholly  without 
fuperftition.  But  an  extravagant,  and  even 
idolatrous  veneration  for  them  fucceeded,  at 
leall:  as  early  as  the  fourth  century.  For  Vi- 
gilantius,  who  lived  at  the  latter  end  of  it,  as 
Dr.  Middleton  has  obferved,  publicly  charged 
the  ruling  clergy  with  paganizing  and  idola- 
try, on  account  of  feveral  heathenilh  culloms 
thea  in  the  church ;  particularly  the  veneration 
of  faints  and  reliques.     *  We  fee,  fays  he,  in 

*  efre(fl,a  pagan  rice  introduced  into  our  chur- 

*  ches,  under  the  pretext  of  rehgion  ;  when 

*  heaps   of  wax  candles   are   lighted  up  in 

*  clear  fun-fhine,  and  people  are  every-where 

*  kifliiig  and  adoring,  I  know  not  what,  con- 
'  temptible  dull,  preferved   in   a  little  veflel, 

*  and  wrapped  up  in  precious  linnen.    Thefe 
'  men  do  great  honor  truly  to  the  bleffed  mar- 

*  tyrs,  by  lighting  up  paultry  candles  to  thofe, 

*  whom  the  Lamb  in  the  midft  of  the  throne 

*  illuminates  with  all  the  luftre  of  his  majefty/ 
It  is  faid  that  Jerom,  who  attempted  to  an- 

f'vver 


2  2       7/5^  Idolatry  of  worjhipping 

Iwer  Vigilantius,  neither  difowned  thefe  prac- 
tices, nor  denied  that  they  were  borrowed 
from  the  pagan  worfhip  ;  but  juftified  them 
by  faying,  *  That  was  once  done  to  idols,  and 
'  was  then  to  be  detefted  ;  but  this  is  done  to 
*  the  martyrs,  and  is  therefore  to  be  received.'* 
So  it  feems,  that  even  in  Jerom's  opinion, 
what  was  detertable  fuperftition  and  idolatry 
when  done  by  Pagans  in  honor  of  their  gods, 
demi-gods  and  goddeffes,  was  good  and  pious 
when  done  by  Chrillians  in  honor  of  the 
martyrs  :  There  needed  only  to  transfer  the 
veneration  from  thofe  idols  to  the  faints, 
in  order  to  render  it  laudable,  at  lead  ad- 
miflible  :  The  kind  of  worfliip  might  be 
retained,  if  the  particular  objects  o'i  ic  were 
chingcd,  and  chriitian  demons  introduced  in- 
ftead  of  pagan  demons  ! 

But  worldly  policy,  as  well  as  fuperftition, 
had  fome  hand  in  eltablifhing  faint-wor(hip. 
When  Chriftian  teachers  became  corrupt  and 
worldly-minded,  thro'  the  indifcrete  zeal,  or, 
perhaps,  policy,  of  Conllantine  the  Great, 
they  aimed  more  at  increadng  the  number  of 
nominal  Chriltians,  for  fecular  ends,  than  that 
of  real  ones  ;  or  preferving  their  religion  in 
its  original  pjricy  and  fimplicity.  And  ac- 
cordingly, oblcrviiig  how  attached  the  Pagans 
were  to  the  worfhip  of  their  gods  and  demi- 
god^jto  their  magnilicent  temples, images,  and 
the  feafts  kept  in  honor  of  their  deities  ;  the 
Chriftian  leaders  were  for  bringing  them  over, 

by 

•  Vid,  Lttterffm  RemCf  the  latter  end. 


Saints  and  Angels,  23 

by  imitating  many  of  their  cuftoms.  Then 
fpacious  churches  were  built,  fumptuoufly 
adorned,  and  dedicated  to  the  martyrs  ;  pic- 
tures, images  and  altars  were  brought  into 
ufe  therein  ;  and  the  formal  invocation  of 
faints  encouraged.  Thus  Chriftians  rivalled, 
if  not  furpaffed  Pagans,  in  their  own  way, 
with  a  view  to  bring  them  over  to  the  faith 
of  Chrift,  at  lead  to  a  profefTion  of  it.  By 
which  temporizing  policy,  as  bifhop  Stilling- 
fleet  obferves,  chriftianity  came  at  laft  to  be 
little  or  nothing  elfe  but  *  reformed  paganifm,' 
as  to  its  external  worfhip :  Or,  as  Turretin 
fays,  *  the  empire  was  brought  over  to  the 
'  faith,  but  the  church  alfo  infected  with  the 
'  pomp  of  the  empire  ;  the  Pagans  were  con- 

*  verted  to  Chrift,  but  the  Chriftian  worfhip 

*  depraved  to  the  fafhion  of  paganifm.  '  * 

The  worfhip  of  faints  prevailed  more  and 
more  until  the  Reformation,  tho'  not  equal- 
ly in  all  parts,  nor  without  oppofition.  It 
continues  in  the  church  of  Rome  to  this  day, 
nearly  in  as  high  credit  as  ever.  J     They  are 

from 

*  See  more  relating  to  this,  Letter  from  Rome,  fub  fin. 

J  That  the  faints  are  to  be  invocatcd,  and  feftivals  and 
temples  confccratcd  to  thero,  is  an  article  of  faith  in  the 
church  of  Rome,  and  mentioned  as  fuch,  in  common 
with  the  moft  eflential  dodtrincs  of  chriftianity  ;  without 
the  belief  of  which   there  is  fuppofed  to  be  no  falvation. 

*  Septimus  articulus  ecclcfiaeRomana;  eft,  fandos  in  cocio 

*  regnantes  efle  honorandos,  ac  fcftos  dies   atque    bafi 

*  licas  illis  confccrandas  cffc.'  Vid.  Prsslud.  nonum  in 
Summam  csneil,  omn*  Per  Francifcum  L»Dgum  a  Cori- 
olanutn. 


24      7^^  Idolatry  of  worjhipping 

from  time  to  time  canonizing  new  faints,  tho' 
more  fparingly  than  in  fome  ages  palt ;  juft  as 
in  old  pagan  Rome  they  were  from  time- to 
time  enrolling  more  dead  men  in  the  number 
of  the  gods.  They  erecl  oratories  and  altars 
to  them,  proltrate  themfelves  before  their 
fhrincs,  and  burn  incenfe  to  them  ;  all  nearly 
in  the  fame  manner,  that  the  Pagans  did  to  their 
factitious -deities.  And  the  Pantheon  at  Rome, 
formerly  the  temple  of  all  the  gods,  is  now 
dedicated  to  Mary  and  all  the  faints.  They 
alfo  make  formal  vows  and  prayers  to  them 
for.  bleflings  temporal,  fpiritual  and  eternal. 
Why  miglat  they  not  as  well  olfer  Ihecp  and 
oxen  in  facrifice  to  them,  as  pay  them  fuch 
worfhip  as  this  ;  and  yet  be  free  from  idola- 
try ? 

Let  me  inllance  in  a  few  of  their  hymns  gnd 
prayers  to  the  faints,  by  way  of  fpecimen.  To 
St. Nicholas  they  addrefs  themfelvesas  follows: 
"  Ergo  pie  nos  exaudi,'  8cc.  Therefore gracioujly 
hear  us,  who  are  intent  on  praijing  thee^  left  we 
are  fuhjeBed  to  the  fraud  of  the  enemy  ;  bring  us 
help.  Deliver  us  from  all  evil ;  conduB  us  in  the 
right  way  ;  and  after  this  life,  introduce  us  into 
eternal  jojs.  To  St.  Agnes  thus  :  *  Ave,  Agnes 
*  gloriofa, '  &c.  Hail,  glorious y^gnes  ;  preferve 
me  in  the  right  faith,  O  fiveet  and  beloved  viigin, 
I  intreat  thee  with  prayers.  Grant  /«  all,  that 
they  may  in  perfect  charity  worflnp  God^  by  whotn 
thou  waft  eletled.  They  have  longer  forms  of 
devotion  to  other  faints  ;  in  which  they  dif- 
tindly  implore  of  them  almoll  every  blefTing 

that 


Saints  and  Angels.  2^ 

that  can  be  named  ;  at  leaft  as  many  and  great 
ones  as  the  Pagans  ufed  to  pray  for  to  any  of 
their  gods,  not  excepting  their  Jupiter  optimus 
maximus  ;  altho'  they  call  this  worfhip,  which 
they  pay  to  the  faints  in  common,  only  dulia, 
in  diftin^tion  from  latria.  But  their  worfhip  of 
the  virgin  Mary  they  term  hyperdulia  ;  by  which 
it  is  not  eafy  to  know  what  they  mean,  only  in 
general,  that  it  is  fomething  more  extravagant 
and  outrageous  than  their  worfhip  of  other 
faints,  or  of  angels.  In  her  R&farie,  as  it  is 
called,  that  is,  a  kind  of  liturgy  for  the  virgin 
Mary,  and  in  other  devotional  books,  they  give 
her  the  following  titles  :  Queen  regent  of  hea- 
ven, mifl:refs  of  angels,  mother  of  grace,  mother 
of  mercy,  mother  of  God,  the  hope  of  the 
world,  the  truft  of  finners,  the  repairer  and  favi- 
our  of  dcfpairing  fouls,  the  giver  of  fpiritual 
grace,  the  female  faviour  of  the  world,  the 
healer  of  the  fick,  the  confirmer  of  the  jufl, 
the  reflorer  of  them  that  go  aftray,  the  helper 
and  hope  of  the  dcfolate,  a  mofl  ready  helper  ; 
and  the  like. 

They  feldom  fpeak  of  the  merits  and  inter- 
ceiTion  of  Chrifi:,but  in  conjunction  with  thofe  of 
Mary  ;  and  in  language  that  exprelFcs  their  hope 
of  falvation  by  her's,  as  truly  as  by  his"f .  They 
folciiinly  confefs  their  fins  to  God  and  to  her, 
in  the  fame  breath  ;  as  may  be  feen  in  feveral 
parts  of  the  Ritual.  They  fomctimcs  befeech 
D  her 


f  Sec  particularly,  in  the  Ritual,  the  offices  called  \)^z  facr.-.tfirr.t 
of  repentance,  and  the  vijlatlon  of  ihi  Ji:k  ;  aifo  ilie  pfaycr 
for  a  woman  afur  child  bcaiing. 


26       The  Idolatry  of  ^orflnpping 

her  to  exercife  the  authority  of  a  mother,  and 
to  command  her  f on.  And  in  the  office  intitled 
Ordo  commendation'u  animae^  the  dying  perfon  is 
'direfted  to  pray  to  her  in  thefe  terms :  *  -Maria, 
'  mater  gratise',  &c.  O  Mar}\  mother  of  grace, 
mother  of  mercy ^  do  thou  proteSi  me  from  the 
enemy,  and  receive  me  in  the  hour  of  death.  Let 
me  here  fubjoin  a  prayer  or  hymn  to  Mary  out 
of  the  Rrfar'ie,  as  follows  :  '  Reparatrix 
*  faivatrix',  &c.  Thou  female  repairer  and faviour 
of  the  defpairing  foul,  the  fhowerer  down  and 
bcfozver  of fplr'itual  grace,  heal  my  wojinds,  I 
pray,  I  fervently  defire  ;  and  grant  the  gfts  of 
grace  to  the  foul  that  calleth  upon  thee  :  'That  I 
may  he  chafe  and  modefl,  gentle,  valiant,  foher, 
godly,  regular,  circumfpecl,  a  fir  anger  to  revenge, 
luell  infrucled,  and  guarded  by  the  divine  ora- 
cles ;  conftant,  grave  andpleafant,  benign,  lovely, 
prudent  in  heart,  carefid  tofpeak  the  truth,  hat- 
ing evil,  ever  cleaving  to  God  in  pious  works.  ■ 
Part  of  another  of  thgfe  admirable  collects  in 
the  Rofirie,  is  as  follows  :  '  Cor  mcum  illu- 
'  mina',  8<c.  Enlighten  my  heart,  thou  refulgent 
far  of  the  fea,  and  ever  defend  me  from  the  de- 
vices of  the  enemy,  O  glorious  virgin  Mary, 
mother  of  the  eternal  King,  deliver  us  from  all 
evil,  and  from  the  punifljment  of  Hell.  This  is 
a  fpecimen  of  hyperdulia. 

They  have  another  approved  book  among 
them,  called  the  Mary-Tfalter,  and  the  T/alter 
of  our  Lady,  the  Avork  of  their  fcraphic  doctor 
13oKavcnturc,  and  him^Jf,  if  we  can  believe  fo 
Ih-an^e  a  thing,  bo[h  a  faint  and  a  cardinal  ;  in 

which 


Samts  and  Angels.  27 

which  book  the  devotional  pfalms  of  David  arc 
turned  into  forms  of  prayer  and  praife  to  Mary: 
So  that,  with  fome  little  variations,  the  fame 
devotions  which  David  offered  to  the  King  o^ 
heaven,  they  offer  to  the  ^leen  of  heaven,  at 
once,  according  to  their  divinity,  his  mother, 
fpoufe  and  daughter.  Part  of  one  of  thcfe 
pfalms  is  thus   paraphrafed  :     *  In  te,  Domina, 

*  fperavi',  &c.  In  thee,  Ladj,  have  I  hoped  ;  I 
JJjall  never  be  confounded.  Receive  me  to  thy 
favor  ;  inchne  thine  ear  unto  me,  and  rejoice  me 

in  my  trouble.  Thou  art  7ny  firength  and  my 
refuge,  my  confolation  and  my  protection.  Unto 
thee  have  I  cried  luhen  my  heart  was  in  difrefs  ; 
and  thou  heardejl  me  from  the  top  of  the  eternal 
hills.  Into  thy  hands,  O  Lady,  I  commend  my 
fpirit,  viy  ivhole  life,  my  lafl  day.  Another  thus : 
'  Salus  fempiterna',  &c.  Eternal  f ah  at  io7i  is  in 
thy  hand,  O  Lady  ;  they  that  will  duly  honor 
thee,fljall  receive  it.  Thy  clemency  Jhall  not 
fail  thro  eternal  ages  ;  and  thy  mercy  is  from 
generation  to  generation.     Another  thus*  '  Dif- 

*  pofitione  tua  mundus',  &c.  By  thy  difpofition 
[or  providence]  the  world  endureth,  which  thou, 
with  God,  has  founded  from  the  begimiing.  O 
Lady,  I  a?n  wholly  thine  ;  fave  me,  bccaufe  thy 
pr a  fes  are  delightful  in  my  pilgrimage.  This  is 
hypcrdulia  witha  witnefs  !  And  to  thefe  fpcci- 
mcns  ot  devotion  to  iMary  let  me  fubjoin  part 
of  an  equally  pious  infcription  mentioned  by 
Dr.  Middleton,  over  the  gate  of  a  great  church 
in  Italy  ;  viz.      '  There  is  no  one^who  can    be 

*  fivedj  O  mod  holy^  virgin,  but  thro'  thee- — — 

D  2  '  Marv, 


2  8        The  Idolatry  of  ivorjhipping 

*  Mary,  indeed,  opens  the  bofom  ©f  her  mercy 
'  to  all  ;  fo  that  the  whole  univerfc  receives  out 
'  of  her  fulnefs ;  The  captive,  redemption  ;  the 
'  fick,  a  cure  ;   the   fad,    comfort  ;  the   fmncr, 

*  pardon  ;  thejuft,  grace  ;  the  angle,  joy  ;  the 

*  whole  Trinity,  glory'.  The  learned  writer 
iafl:  named,  very  pertinently  remarks,  that  '  when 
'  Jeremiah  rebukes   the    people  of  Indah    for 

*  burning  incenfi  to  the   ^leen  of  heaven^  one 

*  can  hardly  help  imagining,  that  he  is  prophc- 

*  tically  pointing  out    the  worfhip  now  paid  to 

*  the  virgin  ;  to  whom  they  actually  burn  in- 
'  cenfc  at  this  day  under  that  very  title'*.  It  is 
alfo  well  known  that  their  churches,  efpecially 
in  Italy,  are  filled  with  votive  tables  and  offer- 
ings to  Mary  and  other  faints,  for  fuppofed  cures 
and  deliverances  wrought  by  them  ;  in  like 
manner  as  the  heathen  temples  were  adorned, 
in  honor  of  the  gods  and  goddcifcs.  And  Dr. 
Stillingileet  relates,  that  there  was  once  a  difputc 
among;  fome  Romancathoiics,  whether  the 
hord'mprayer  might,  or  might  not,  be  ufed  to 
the  faints.  '  And  it  was  well  relolved,  and  very 
'  fubtilly',  fays  he,  *  that  ultimately,  principally, 
'  primarily  and  (triftly,    they  might  not  ;    but 

*  Jcconckirih,    lefs  principallj  and   largely,  and 

*  relatively  they  might'. 

With  fuch-like  vain  diffinftions  tliey  amufc 
themfelves,  impofe  upon  the  ignorant,  and  en- 
deavour to  palliate  their  idolatrous  worlhip  of 
faints  and  angels.     They  f\y,  they  do  not  call 

them 

*  Vid.  Ortic.  B.  Virg.   •  S^Ivc  Rf^ioa  ;  Ave  Rr^ha  ccelorum  ; 
Domiaa  ac:'clorum' 


Saints  and  Angels,  *i(^ 

them  gods,  or  worflilp  them  with  latria  ;  but 
with  an  inferior  worfhip.  The  council  of  Trent 
fays,  in  feflion  25th,  *  San6los  una  cum  Chrifto 
*  regnantes',  &c.  That  the  faints  reigning  to- 
gether with  Chrijl^  offer  wp  their  prayers  to  God 
for  men  :  that  it  is  good  and  prof  table  humbly  to 
invocate  tbem^  and  to  fly  to  their  prayers^  help 
and  aid,  for  bleffings  to  be  impet rated  of  God  by 
his  Son,  &c.  By  which  cautious  manner  of 
fpcaking,  it  fecms  the  council  was  a  little  afraid, 
cither  exprcfly  to  condemn  or  to  juftify  faint- 
worlhip  in  all  its  enormous  extent,  or  in  the 
manner  in  which  it  was  then,  and  is  now  aftu- 
ally  pradifed.  I  mull  crave  leave  to  make  fe- 
veral  remarks,  relative  to  this  point. 

The  diftin^lion  between  latria  and  dulia,  on 
which  the  church  of  Rome  lays  fo  much  ftrefs, 
is  an  arbitrary  one,  without  any  folid  foundation 
in  fcripturc.  But  taking  their  own  explanation 
of  thefe  terms,  the  difl:in<5lion  will  not  excufe 
them  from  idolatry.  People  may  be  guilty  of 
this,  by  paying  an  unwarrantable  worfhip  to 
f\ints  and  angels,  or  other  creatures,  tho'  they 
do  not  adore  them  as  equal  to  God  in  nature 
and  dignity,  but  worfhip  them  as  inferior  to  him. 
We  are,  indeed,  to  give  honor,  or,  if  they  pleafe, 
vv'orfhip,  which  is  an  equivocal  term,*  to  all 
thofc  to  whom  it  is  due  ;  and  in  fuch  manner 
and  meafure  as  it  belongs  to  them,  either  by  the 
cxprcfs  appointment  of  God,  or  by  natural  rea- 
ion  and  right,  in  vlriue  of  t!ie   known  relation 

ill 

*  Tins  word    is  di.rrs  t'mes  ufed    in   fcnptnre,   ti   exprrf;  the 
honor  ch<ji  may  L    jail.';-  due,  acd  paid  to  creajuris. 


^o       The  Idolatry  of  worjlipping 

in  which  they  ftand  towards  us.  But  the  thing 
infifted  on  is,  that  that  fervice  and  refpeft,  whe- 
ther it  be  called  honor  only,  or  worfliip,  which 
the  church  of  Rome  pays  to  faints  and  angels, 
is  unwarranted  by  reafon,  contrary  to  fcripture, 
and  properly  idolatrous.  Tho'  the  holy  angels 
arc  all  miniftring  fpirits,  fent  forth  to  minifter  to 
the  heirs  of  falvation  ;  yet  wc  are  forbidden  to 
worfhip  them  thus.  *  Let  no  man  beguile  you 
'  of  your  reward,'  fays  the  apoi>le,  '  in  a  volun- 
'  tary  humility,  and  worfhipping  of  angels,  in- 
'  truding  into  thofe  which  he  hath  not  fcen'f — 
When  John  fell  at  the  feet  of  an  angel,  paying 
him  too  profound  a  reverence  ;  tho'  it  cannot 
be  fuppofed,  that  he  thought  the  angel  was  God, 
or  meant  to  worfliip  him  as  God,  he  received  a 
check  from  him  :  '  See  thou  do  it  not :  I  am 
'  thy  fellow-fervant',  &c.  J  And  the  council  of 
Laodicea,  convened  anno  320  or  321,  exprefly 
condemned  the  worfhip  of  angels  under  the 
name  of  idolatry^  and  as  a  forfaking  our  Lord 
Jtjus  Chrifl  ''%  Now,  furely,  if  even  angels  are 
not  to  be  bowed  down  and  prayed  to  by  us, 
tho'  we  know  they  minifter  to  us,  and  are  a  fu- 
perior  order  of  beings  ;  much  lefs  are  the  faints 
to  be  thus  worfhipped.  We  are  to  be  follow- 
ers, but  not  worihippers  of  them.,  who  thro' 
faith  and  patience  inherit  the  promifcs  ;  unlefs 
thinkinff  and  fncakinp  of  them  with  honor*  and 
imitating  their  virtues,  be  to  worfhip  them. 
We  know  not  that  they  have  any  concern  witli 

hurniwi 

t   Col.    II     18 

t   Re«    XIX     10.   anJ  XXII.   §. 
*   ViJ.  Cone.   LuoJ.   c    c;c. 


Saints  and  Angels,  gi 

human  affairs,  or  that  they  have  any  knowledge 
of  what  is  pafTing  in  this  lower  ^^orld.  But 
we  are  fure,  neither  they,  nor  the  angels  are 
omnifcient,  omnipotent  or  on-jniprefent :  Which 
confideration  alone  fliews  the  folly,  at  leafl,  of 
worfhipping  them  in  the  manner  the  Papifts  do. 
Befides  ;  the  worfliip  of  demons  [iMif.Miv  ] 
is  condemned  by  the    apoftle.     '  I  would  not, 

*  fays  he,  that  ye  fliould   have  fellowfhip  with 

*  demons.  Ye  cannot  drink  the  cup  of  the 
'  Lord,  and  the  cup  of  demons'  f .  And  giv- 
ing heed  to  ^  doctrines  of  demons',  is  one  cha- 
ra^leriftic   of  thcfe   who  iliould  '  depart   from 

*  the  faith'  in  the  laft  days.  Now,  this  Greek 
word  certainly  ijgnifies  an  angel  or  fpirit,  whe- 
ther good  or  bad.  For  Socrates,  by  the  de- 
mon, of  which  he  boafted,  furely  meant  not 
the  devil,  or  an  evil  m.alicious  being,  but  a  good 
genius,  angel  or  fpirit  ;  and  all  the  popifh  faints 
are  properly  demons*.  It  i?  well  if  fome  of 
them  are  not  demons  even  in  the  bad  fenfc  of 
the  word. 

Moreover  ;  tho'  they  do  not  give  their  faints 
the  titles  of  dii  and  dea:,  gods  and  goddclTes  ; 
yet  they  call  them  divi  and  numina  ;  as  the 
Pagans  of  old  Rome  called  dead  men  and  wo- 
men after  their  apotheofisj.     And   it   appears 

from 

t  Vid.   I  Cor.  X.   19  —  22. 

*  This  is  clearly  evinced  V.y  many  learned  Protcftants  ;  particu- 
larly Mr  Jof.  Medc  in  his  atmflucy  of  the  latter  times.  See 
a!fo  Sir  Haac  Newton'/  Oofirvations  on  Daniel  and  the 
^^pocalypje,  ch   14     I-.ic  I. 

\  If  the  indignation  t»f  the  reader  will  not  be  too  frach  raifcd,  it 
may  be  an  i-gretahle  aniur.'ment  to  him  to  compare  I'ne  foUow- 
iflg  pa^aa  aiiJ  pypiih    icfcnptions,    exLiUiied   by  Dr.  Midviie- 


toa 


The  Idolatry  of  -worpiipping 


from  the  example  before  produced,  that  they 
dire<ftly  implore  of  them  the  greateft  blcflings 
of  time  and  eternity  ;  heakh  of  body  and  mind, 
guidance  in  the  tr.uc  faith,  fpiritual  grace,  pro- 
teiftion  from  the  devil,  deliverance  from  all  evil, 
falvation  from  the  pains  of  hell,  a  gracious  re- 
ception at  death,  and  admiffion  to  the  joys  of 
heaven.  They  may,if  they  pleafc,call  this  only 
dulia  and  hyperdulia :  But  what  more,  what 
greater  or  better  do,  or  can  they,  pray  for  to 
God  himfclf  ?  Thefe  are  bleiTmgs,  which  he 
alone  can  beftow.  And  when  they  pray  thus 
to  the  faints,  exprefling  their  confidence  in  their 
prote(5tion  in  the  fame  terms,  in  which  good 
men  u(e  to  exprefs  their's  in  the  power,  provi- 
dence 

ton  in  oppofitc  colamns,  to  fliew  how  nearly  Papifts  have  a- 
doptcd  the  language,  as  well  as  fpirit  of  paganilm  ;  and  af- 
cribed  the  fame  powers, chaudlen  and  attributes  to  their  faiats, 
which  bad  formerly  beco  afcribed  to  heathen  deities. 

Pagan    infcriptions.  Popifli  infcriptions. 

Mercurio   et  Minervae  Maria  et  Francifce 

Diis  Tutelarib.  Tutelares  mei. 

Dii  qui  huic  templo  Divo  Euftorgio 

prGefident.  Qui  huic  templo 

prasfidet. 

Numini  Mercurii    facr.  Numini 

Herculi  vi6lori  pollenti  po-         Divi  Gcorgii 

inviifto.  (tenti        pollentis  potentis 

invItSli. 
Prsediti  Jovi. 

S.  Divis 

Diis  Prxfhiibus  juvantibus 

Deabufque  Gcorgio  Stephanoc|ue 

CUM  Jove.  cum  Deo  opt.  max. 


Saints  and  Angels,  ^g 

dencc  and  grace  of  God  ;  this  is  really  giving 
divine  honors  to  them  :  And  if  latria,  as  they 
fay,  is  the  v^'orl]lip  that  belongs  exciufively  to 
God  ;  then  this  is  plainly  latria,  whatever  they 
may  call  it.  To  give  fuch  worfliip  as  this  to 
the  faints,  is  an  implicit  afcription  o'i  divine  per- 
feftions  to  them,  while  they  are  explicitly  ov/ned 
to  be  but  creatures.  It  is  a  kiitd  of  worfliip, 
which  fuppofes  them  to  be  omnipotent,  omni- 
fcicnt,  and  omniprefent  ;  fince  Kc  alone, 
who  is  poiTefTed  of  thofe  perfections,  can 
be  fiippofed  t;o  hear  prayers  at  all  limes, 
from  all  parts  of  the  earth  at  the  fame  time  ; 
and  able  to  grant  fuch  blelFings.  How  poor  an 
cvafion  is  it  then,  for  Romancatholics  to  fay, 
they  neither  call  the  faints  gods,  nor  worfhip 
them  with  fupreme  worfnip  \  For  is  not.  th's  to 
fuppoR*  them  really  gods  \  And  is  nox.  that  even 
fupreme  worfliip,  which  can,  with  propriety,  be 
given  only  to  God  almighty  ?  It  is  of  no  confc- 
quence,  except  as  a  matter  of  criticiim,  '.vhether 
this  be  called  latria  or  dulia  :  And  if  they  are 
guilty  of  an  apparent  inconfiftency  in  this  ref- 
pecl,  as  well  as  of  idolatry  ;  it  much  more  con- 
cerns their  own  infallibility  to  clear  it  up,  than 
it  concerns  us. 

Befides  ;  this  diftinclion  might  ferve  fome 
pagan  idolaters  as  well  as  it  does  them  ;  all 
thofe,  who  acknowledged  one  God,  as  fupreme. 
For  him  alone  they  proFelTodly  worfhipped  with 
fupreme  honors,  anfwering  to  the  latria  of  the 
PapiRs  ;  the  others  they  worfliipped  as  fubordi- 
nate,  with  a  worfhip  anfwering  to  dulia  or  hyer- 
E  dulia. 


34         ^^^^  idolatry  of  -worfliippuig 

dulia.  But  can  wc  think  that  the  apoftic  Paul 
■would  have  been  fatlsfied  with  fuch  an  apoloy  as 
this  ?  Suppofe  an  Athenian  Sophill,  for  example, 
had  faid  to  him  :  '  Altho'  you  fee  us  worfhip, 
'  and  offer  facritices  to,  many    invifible   beings, 

*  male  and  female  ;  ^q  that  you  confider  us  as 
'  polythcifts  and  idolaters  ;  you  are  miftanken, 

*  for  want  of  attending  to  our  learned  di{lin<fl:i- 

*  ons.     You  mufl:  know  then,  that  fome   of  us 

*  at  lead,  own  one  furreme  and  moft  perfc<5l 
^  being  :  Him  only  we  intentionally  honor  with 

*  latria  ;  the  rell  we  worfhip  only  with    dulia, 

*  or  hyperdulia,  as  fubordinate  to  him.    Obfervc 

*  well  this  dillin^lion,  good  Mailer  Paul  ;  and 
'  you  will  then    fee  we   are    no  idolaters,  how 

*  many  demons,  dcmi  gods  and  goddclfes  foever- 

*  we  worfhip'.  Now,  one  may  be  pretty  cer- 
tain, that  the  holy  apoftle's  fpirit  would  not  have 
been  lefs  *  ftirred  in  him',  for  an  apology  of 
this  fort,  than  when  he  came   to   Athens,    and 

*  faw  the  city  wholly  given  to  idolatry't-  Nor 
is  an  apology  of  this  kind  more  f\'Lisfa<^l:ory 
from  the  mouth  of  a  modern  Romaniil:,  than 
it  would  have  been  from  that  of  an  oldAthenian. 

One  cannot  well  help  remarking  here,  by  the 
way,  the  great  difingcnuity  and  affurance  of 
thofe  Romancatliolics,  who  pretend  that  ihey 
pray  to  the  faints  only  as  friendly  intcrccfIbrs,to 
pray  for  them.  Were  this  true,  it  would  not 
cxcufe  them  ;  but  nothing  can  be  more  falfe. 
And  indeed,  they  arc  {o  much  given  to  deny^ 
hig  notorious  facU,  and  alfciting    known    falfc- 

hoods, 
i  t  Acis  xvn   1 6. 


Saints  and  Angels.  ^j; 

hoods,  in  their  difpiites  with  Protcftants  ;  that  a 
famous  ancient  hieroglyphic  in  DiofpoHs,  ought, 
methinks,  to  be  infcribed  in  all  their  churches  ; 
the  nearer  the  pulpit  or  altar  the  better.  In  that 
hieroglyphic  a  young  child  fignificd  coming  in- 
to the  world  ;  an  old  man,  going  out  oi  it  ;  an 
hawk,  the  Deity  ;  an  hippopotamus,  hatred  ; 
and  a  crocodile,  impudence.  All  which,  being 
taken  together,  in  the  Egyptian  manner,  exprcfT- 
ed  this  ufeful  lefTon  ;  O  ye  that  come  into  the 
ivorld^  and  that  go  out  of  it ^  God  hates  impudence. 
Never  did  any  pagan  idolaters  implore  greater 
bleffings  of  their  fupremc,  or  fo  great  of  their 
inferior  deities,  or  demons,  as  the  Romancatho- 
lics  implore  directly  of  their  faints,  cfpccially  of 
Marv.  But  it  has  fomctimes  been  faid  by  them, 
that  there  is  a  material  difference  in  this  refped: 
That  thofe  dead  men  and  women,  whom  the 
heathens  worfliipped,  were  ignorant  of  true  rc^ 
ligon,  and  black  with  crimes  in  their  life-time  ; 
whereas  thofe  that  are  worfhipped  in  the  church 
of  Rome,  were  very  holy  perfons,  adorned  with 
many  (hining  virtues,  the  workers  of  miracles, 
the  fpcciai  favourites  of  heaven  ;  and  the  like. 
Be  it  ^o  :  But  the  queftion  is  not, who  were  tht 
beil,  the  moil  worthy  of  imitation,  and  an  ho- 
nourable remembrance  ;  but  whether  any  de- 
mons, or  dead  men,  were  they  ever  (o  holy,  can 
be  thus  worihipped  without  idolatry  P  True,  it 
is  more  fooliih  and  wicked  to  adore  an  ill  man 
thus  after  his  de€cafc,than  a  wir*:  and  good  (me: 
But  yet  the  latter  is  as  truly  idolatry  as  the  o- 
ther.     If  the  Pagans  v/ere  idolaters  in  woril:ip- 


3  6  The  Idolatjy  of  ivorjhjpping 

ping  their  dcceafcd  Isings  and  heroes,  it  vias 
neither  only  nor  chiefiy,becaure  they  were  wick- 
ed ;  but  becaufe  they  were  demons,  or  dead 
men  ;  creaUires  that  ought  not  to  be  thus  wor- 
fhipped,  altho'  they  had  been  virtuous  &  good. 
And  fince  the  Romanifts  pay  the  like,  if  not 
greater  honors,  to  dead  men  and  women,  or  de- 
mons ;  this  mufl:,  for  the  fame  reafon,  be  ido- 
latry in  them  alfo. 

But  it  may  be  remembered, that  fome  of  thofe 
men,  whom  the  Pagans  deified,  had  really  been 
great  bcncfae^tors  to  their  refpedive  countries 
and  ages  ;  teachers  of  agriculture,  and  other  ufe- 
ful  arts  ;  the  dedroycrs  of  tyrants,  and  other 
wild  beaih  and  monfters  ;  the  founders  of  cities 
and  empires  ;  wife  legiilators  ;  upright  judges, 
and  good  kings,  the  fathers  of  their  people.  In 
which  refpefts  they  had  at  leaft  as  good  a  title 
to  great  honors,  both  living,  and  after  their  dc- 
ceafe,  as  fome  of  the  popiili  faints  ;  I  think  a 
much  better.  For  divers  of  thofe,  who  adorn 
the  Roman  kalendcr,  were  but  ignorant  enthu- 
fiafts,  fcarce  better  than  madmen  ;  perfons  who 
never  did  any  thing  worthy  of  applaufe.  Was 
Symcon  Stilites  worthy  of  fignal  honors  for 
having  his  ilation  thirty  years  on  a  high  pillar, 
like  a  Iktue  on  its  pedcilal  I  or  the  more  like  a 
god  ?  Was  Anthony,  for  peaching  to  birds, beads 
and  fifhes  r  Was  Francis,  for  hearing  Chrifl's 
voice,  as  they  fay,  come  from  a  crucifix  *  ;  and 
being  {o  tranfportcd  with  pious  zeal  or  fomething 

elfc, 

*  This  circumnance  is  nirniion.td   by   bp    Sti;iiri£ficct,    as  from 
cardinal  13o(iaTtacure. 


Satnis  and  Angels,  37 

clfe,  as  to  throw  away  his  breeches  ?  Were 
others,  for  wearing  out  much  hair-cloth 
and  whip-cord  on  their  backs,  and  no  ihoes 
on  their  feet,  for  many  years  I  or  for  thofe 
numerous  ridiculous  feats,  which  knaves  re- 
ported, and  fools  believed,  as  miracles  ?  But 
ocher  popifh  faints  had,  if  pofTibie,  even  lefs 
fan6lity  than  thefe  ;  being  rebels,  traitors  and 
alTaffines  ;  the  pefts  of  fociety,  and  difhirbers 
of  kingdoms.  Were  not  Ofiris,  Hercules  and 
-/^fculapius,  Vulcan,  Rhadamanthus  and  Ro- 
mulus, at  ieail:  as  worthy  to  be  enrolled  a- 
mong  the  gods,  as  Ignatius  Loyola,  Garnet 
and  Thomas  a  Becket,  among  the  faints  ?  It 
is  more  abfurd  to  worlhip  fuch  contemptible 
and  wicked  perfons  as  fome  of  the  popiOi 
flints  were,  than  fome  of  thofe,  whom  the 
Pagans  deified  ;  or  even  than  to  worfliip  the 
ftars  and  elements,  which  are  fo  ufcful  to  us. 
And  *  I  would  gladly  know,'  fays  one,  *  why 

*  I  may  not  as   well  honor   God   by  giving 

*  worihip  to  the  fun,  as  to  Ignatius  Loyola, 
'  or  St.  Francis,  or  any  other  late  canonized 

*  faint  ? — The  fun  is  a  certain  monument  of 
'  God's  goodnefs,  wifdom  and  povv'er,  and  I 

*  cannot  be  miliaken  therein  ;  but  I  can  ne- 

*  ver   be  certain  of  the  holinefs  of  thofe  per- 

*  fons  I  am  to  give  divine  worfhip  to.     For 

*  all  that  I  can  know,  Ignatius  Loyola  was  a 

*  great  hypocrite  ;  but  I  am  lure  that  the  fun 

*  is  none  ;  but  that  lie  fhincs,  and  communi- 

*  cates  perpetual  iufinences,  to  the  huge  ad- 
'  vantage  of  the  world.'  J  But 

%  Dr.  Siil!in£fl:ct. 


3  8         The  Idolatry  of  'worflnppwg 

But  to  have  done  with  faint-worfliip  ;  the 
dodrine  and  precepts  of  fcripture  arc  clearly 
againlt  this  pradice  of  the  Romanilts.  And 
what  fcripture  example  there  is  of  it,  which 
they  may  think  worthy  their  imitation,  I 
know  not  ;  except,  perhaps,  it  be  that  of  the 
wicked  rich  man  in  hell,  who  earncftly  pray- 
ed Saint  Abraham,  but  in  vain,  to  fend  Laza- 
rus to  cool  his  tongue  with  a  drop  of  v/ater. 
But,  methinks,  it  is  time  enough  for  men  to 
follow  this  example,  when  they  come  into 
that  place  of  torment  themfelves,,  and  defpair 
of  God's  hearing  their  prayers.  A  dreadful 
extremity  !  to  which  we  pray  our  advcrfarics 
may  never  be  reduced  :  And  if  there  is  any 
fuch  place  as  the  purgatory  they  talk  of,  we 
fhould  be  rejoiced,  if  there  were  any  good  rea- 
fon  to  hope  they  might  efcape  even  that  alfo — • 
For,  by  their  own  account,  it  is  a  very  tedi- 
ous, round-about  and  painful  way  to  heaven. 


THERE  is  time  to  add  but  little  concern- 
ing the  worfhip  of  pin^f  ures  and  images. 
This  was  probably  introduced  into  the 
church  in  the  fourth  century,  in  common 
with  other  bad  cufloms ;  and  fpread  faft,  tho' 
not  without  oppofition.  In  the  eighth  cen- 
tury the  indignation  of  many  was  fo  raifcd 
againfl:  it,  that  they  deftroyed  all  the  images 
in  churches,  whcre-cver  they  could  ;  and 
were  therefore  called  the  Iconocliifts,  They 
chiefly  occafioned  the   calling  of  the  fecond 

council 


Ti8urcs  and  Images.  j^ 

council   of  Nice,  anno  787  ;  in  which    they 
were  ccnfured,  and    the  worfhip  of  images 
confirmed  ;  efpecially  as  that  council  expref- 
fcrh  it,  '  the  image  of  the  Lord  and  God,  our 
Saviour  Jcfus  Chrift  ;  nextly  that   of  our 
immaculate  lady  the  mother  of  God,  of  the 
venerable  angels,  and  then   thofe  of  all  the 
faints.'     The  council,  however  palliates  this 
idolatry  by  faying,  they  did  not  mean  to  give 
images  the  worfhip  of  latria,  but  an  honorary 
adoration,  as  to  a  type  ;  which    redounds  to 
the  honor  of  the  prototype.    *  Imaginis  enim 
'   honor,'  &c.      For   the  honor  of  an  image  ter- 
minates  on  the  prototype  ;  and  he  that  adsres  an 
image ^  alfo  adores  therein  what  is  reprejented,   by 
it.  f  This  council   alfo  fpeaks  of  the  great 
benefit  of  pictures  and  images,  in  edifying  the 
people,  efpecially  the  vulgar,  who  could  not 
read.  *    The  council  of  Tretit  refers  to,  aiKl 

confirms 

t  Vid.   Con.  Nicaen.  II.   Ad.  7. 

*  The  author  here  fubjoins  a  trarflation  of  a  paflage  or  two,  hj 
which  the  fcr.fc  of  Romantmholics  as  to  the  worfhip  of  cruci- 
fixes, and  other  images  of  Chrilt,  may  further  appear  ;  as  alfo, 
what  is  meant  by  coadoration,  a  term  ufcd,  but  not  explained, 
in  tlxis  difcoorfe.  '  Nee  jndc  fequitu*-,  hoc  polilo,  imagines', 
&c.  Nor  does  it  follow,  this  being  fuppofed,  that  images  are 
to  be  retained  oaly  to  help  the  memory,  as  modern  heretics 
would  have  it  :  for  memory  is  purely  hiftorical,  and  memory 
cxciteth  to  render  v/orfhip  to  God  and  the  fnints  ;  but  accor- 
ding to  this  notion  images  would  be  kept  for  that  latter  re- 
membrance [only  3  Nevcrthclcfi  the  other  opinion  is  more 
probable,  and  more  agreeable  to  the  fynod,  that  images  fhould 
be  honored  even  in  thcinfcives,  and  fhould  be  the  material  ter- 
minuive  objeift  of  veneration,  and  not  only  the  exemplar,  ap- 
prehended in  them,  or  at  the  prefcnce  of  them  ;  beca.ufe  when 
ihe  council  fiys,  that  images  are  to  Lc  adored,  but  not  with 

htri«. 


^o.         The  Idolatry  of  -worfhipping 

confirms  the  decrees  of  this  ;  adding  feme 
farther  explanations  and  cautions,  relative  to 
this. point;  particularly  the  following:  Non 
*  propterea  Divinitatem  figurari',  &c.  \  That 
the  Divinit;  is  not  therefore  figm^ed^  as  thd  it 
could  be Jcen  with  bodiiy  eyes,  or  expreffed  by  co- 
lors or  figures  [a  good  reafon  why  it  fliould 
not  be  at  all  attempted.]  Moreover,  adds  the 
council,  let  aUJitperJtition  in  the  invocation  of 
faints,  in  the  veneration  ofreliques,  and  in  the 
facredufe  of  images,  he  taken  away. 

Here  is  a  plain  conccflion,  that  they  fgu re 
the  Divinity,  even  while  they  acknowledge 
it  cannot  be  {een,  or  exprelTed  by  figures  or 
colors  :  Which  might,  perhaps,  pafs  for  a  con- 
tradiction in  any  church,  but  an  infallible  one. 
But  not  to  Hand  on  fuch  niceties  with  them  ; 

to 

latria,  it  intends  th.it  another  thin;;  fhould  be  adored  bcfiJes 
the  exemplar  only  ;  for  fince  Chrift  ihould  be  a.'orcd  with  true 
latria,  the  fyood  would  not  deny  the  woilh'p  of  Utria  to  his 
image,  if  indeed  in  the  adoration  of  it,  not  his  image,  but  Chrifl 
hinifelf  were  adored,  to  whom  no  other  adoration  befidts  that 
of  l.itria,  belongeth.  So  that  it  intimates  hereby,  that  fomc 
adoration  belongeth  to  images,  di(tin<5t  fiom  the  veneration  and 
honor  of  the  prototype,  and  which,  in  the  kind  of  worlhip,  is 
inferior.— An  imigc  is  honored  two  ways.  Firft.  as  it  is  itfeif 
the  material  terminativc  objedl  of  worlhip,  but  the  prototype 
the  caufe  for  which  it  is  worfhippcd.  Secondiy.  fo  thdt  the 
image  is  honored  together  with  the  prototype  ;  yet  fo  that  the 
prototype  fliouId  be  primarily  honored,  the  image  fccondarily, 
as  the  royal  robes  are  honored  together  with  the  king  ;  and 
th^t  is  called  coadoration  rather  than  adoration.  Thus  I  ap- 
prehend in  my  mind  him  that  was  crucified,  together  v.i  h  the 
crofs  { parhaps  not  ulvjays^  and  in  adoring  the  Crucified  wir'i 
a  dired  intention,  the  crofs  itfelf  is  coadored  in  the  fame  aft. 
Suma  concil.  omn.  Opera  &  (ludio  M.  L.  Bail.  Abbavil.  Deft. 
Theol.  ac  Propisaiten.  Parif.     In  codc.  I^icaci.   11. 

+  ViJ.  Coac.  Trident,  fcfs.  XXV. 


T'lBures  and  Images,  /|.l 

to  make  and  worOiip  any  picture  or  image  of 
Chrift,  confidered  as  God,  which  is  what  they 
chiefly  intend  here,  is  idolatry  ;  and  dire£lly 
contrary  to  the  iecond  commandment,  whe- 
ther it  be  latria,  or  dulia  only,  that  is  paid 
thereto.  And  the  diftincftions,  of  which  the 
Papifts  ferve  themfelves,  would  ferve  as  well 
to  juliify  the  Ifraelites  of  old,  provided  they 
worfhipped  golden  calves  only  as  fymbols  or 
types  of  Jehovah  ;  intending  this  honor  fliould 
terminate  on  him,  as  the  prototype.  Upon, 
the  fame  principle,  thofe  Pagans  who  wor- 
fhipped images,  not  for  their  own  fake,  but 
as  fuppofed  reprefentations  of  the  invifible 
God,  could  not  be  charged  with  idolatry, 
how  often  foever  they  might  kifs,  prdftrate 
themfelves  before,  and  offer  incenfe  and  facri- 
fices  to  them.  Some  pagan  worfhippers  of 
idols  and  images  could,  probably,  h^ve  made 
fuch  a  plea  as  truly,  and  with  a  much  better 
grace,  than  thofe  of  the  Romancatholics 
who  have  the  holy  fcriptures  ;  in  which  all 
image-worfhip  is  plainly  forbidden.  And, 
indeed,  the  leaders  in  the  cnurch  of  Rome 
have  fhewQ  a  confcioufnefs,  that  fcripture 
was  againd  them  in  this  refpedl,  by  leaving 
the  fecond  commandment  wholly  out  of  thofe 
which  are  defigned  for  common  ufe,  and  di- 
viding the  laft  of  the  ten  into  two,  to  gompleat 
the  number. 

As  to  other  pictures  and  images  ;    if  ic  be 

idolatry  to  worfhip  faints  and  angels,  as  it  is 

F  pra<5tifed 


42  The  Idolatry  of  -worflnpping 

pradlifed  in  the  church  of  Rome  ;  it  is  ev^n 
more  fo,  to  worfhip  their  images.  As  fome 
have  jufily  obferved,  they  are  guilty  of  double 
idolatry  in  this  refpcd  ;  firfl,  in  worihipping 
faints  and  angels  themfelves,  and  then  in  a- 
doring  their  images,  with  the  like  exrernal 
worfhip  of  prayers,  prollrations  and  incenfe  : 
tor  either  of  thefe  things  would  be  idolatry, 
."without  the  other.  The  fame  arguments 
which  prove,  that  the  Pagans  worfliipping 
the  images  of  their  demons,  or  inferior  deities, 
was  idolatry,  will  alfo  (hew  the  idolatry  of 
the  church  of  Rome,  in  worshipping  the  ima- 
ges o{  angels  and  faints,  w^ho  are,  ftriflly  and 
properly,  their  demons.  The  more  intelli- 
gent fort  of  pagans  did  not  afcribe  divinity  to 
their  images  themfelves ;  nur  honor  them  with 
a  more  profound  reverence,  internal  or  exter- 
nal, than  Romancatholics  pay  to  theirs.  Nay, 
fome  of  them  were  intirely  againft  the  ufe  of 
any  images  in  their  religious  fervices  ;  as  tend*- 
ing  to  give  people  toogrofs  confceptions  of  the 
Deity.  And  when  the  council  of  Trent  fo 
gravely  injoins,  that  oWfuperfiition  in  the  wor- 
ihip  ol  faints  and  rcliques,  and  in  ih^facred  ufe 
of  images,  Ihould  be  taken  away,  ftill  encouraging 
thefe  pra6i:ices  themfelves  ;  it  is  as  anti-fcriptu- 
ral  and  irrational  as  if  thofe  fathers  had  decreed, 
that  men  fhould  commit  fornication,  but  with- 
out unchaftity  ;  theft  and  robbery,  but  with* 
out  injuf^ice  ;  murder,  without  breach  of  cha- 
rity ;  and  blafphemy,  without  impiety-.     The 

facred 


TiBures  and  Images,  i},j 

facred  life  of  thefe  vices,  is  hardly  a  greater 
folecifra  than  the  other.  The  fupcrflition  of 
this  kind  of  worfhip  cannot  be  taken  away, 
without  taking  away  that  worfhip  itfelf.  Nor 
is  there  any  better  foundation  for  a  diflindlioh 
between  the  ufe  and  abufe  thereof,  than  be- 
tween the  ufe  and  abufe  of  lying  and  adultery, 
inceil:  and  perjury.  Indeed,  the  leaders  in 
the  church  of  Rome  find  all  thefe  crimes  very 
ufiful  in  their  turns,  and  fubfervient  to  the?r 
own  ends,  when  kept  under  their  difcrete  an^ 
fkilful  management:  So  that,  in  their  opinion, 
laying  them  wholly  afide  might;,  perhaps,  bb 
the  greateli  poffible  abufe  of  them.  For  what 
would  then  become  of  their  difpenfations, 
pardons,  indulgencies,  and  I  know  not  what  ; 
the  wicked  tr^'//,  by  which  they  have  their 
zuealth  ? 

THE  patience  of  this  learned  and  refpec- 
table  audience   fhall  be  rcquefted   nO 
ioniser,  than  while  I  fub^oin  a  few  reflexions. 

If  then,  the  churcfi  of  Rome  be  grofly  ido- 
latrous ill  the  feveral  refpeds  aforefaid  ;  high- 
ly dilhonouring  God,  and  the  one  Mediator 
whom  he  hath  appointed,  by  an  undue  wor- 
fhip of, and  dependence  upon, many  creatures; 
it  follows,  that  fhe  is  fo  far  from  being  the 
only  true  church,  and  chafte  fpoufe  of  Chrhf^ 
that  Ihe  is  a  mod  corrupt  one,  a  filthy  profli- 
:^ute,  who  hath  forfaken  her  iirfl:  love,  and  is 
F  3  becoir.c 


^^  RefieBions. 

become,  indeed,  the  '  mother  of  harlots. 
Some  Papilh  exprefsly  own,  that  '  if  the 
*  church  of  Rome  is  guilty  of  herefy,  much 
'  more,  if  guilty  of  idolatry,  it  falls  under  the 
'  apoflle's  excommunication,  Gal.  I.  8.'  And 
if  ilie  be  not  actually  guilty  of  both,  it  will  be 
difficult  at  lead,  I  believe  abfolutely  impofli- 
ble,  to  fhew  what  church  or  perlbn  ever  was, 
that  named  the  name  of  Chrift.  If  foundnefs 
of  dodrine  and  purity  of  worfhip  are  eflcntial 
marks  of  a  true  church,  as  they  allow  ;  we 
muft  look  for  them,  not  in  that  of  Rome,  but 
elfe-where  ;  unlefs  we  proceed  upon  the 
quaint  maxim  of  one  who  faid,  that  wdioever 
•would  find  what  he  is  in  fearch  of,  muft  look 
for  it  where  it  is  noty  as  well  as  where  it  is. 
And  if  thefe  marks  are  wanting,  another, 
•which  they  likewife  boall  of,  mull  alfo  fail 
them  ;  viz.  holinefs  :  At  lead,  it  is  not  eafy 
to  fee  how  that  can  be  an  holy  church,  how- 
ever catholic  it  may  be,  in  which  fuch  abo- 
minable idolatry  is  publicly  authorized,  and 
univerfally  pradifcd. 

It  further  appears  from  hence,  what  great 
danger  there  is  of  perdition  in  the  communioii 
of  this  church  ;  eyery  true  fon  and  daughter  of 
.-which  is,  and  muft  be,  an  idolater.  The  wrath 
of  God  has  not  been  revealed  from  heaven  more 
frequently,  or  in  rnorc  awful  terms,  againft  any 
one  clafs  of  linners,  than  againft  idolaters.  And 
one  of  the  moft  diftinguifhing  chara(^^ers  of  the 
great    apoftacy  from   the    faiih,    foretold,    is 

idolatry^ 


RefleSion's.  45 

idolatry,  will-worfhip,  a  voluntary,  affe<5ted  hu- 
mility, and  worfhipping  of  angels  and  demons. 
*  The  Spirit  fpake  exprefly,  that  in  the  latter 
times  fome  fhould  apoftatize  from  the  faith, 
giving  heed  to  erroneous  fpirits,  and  doctrines 
concerning  demons,  thro'  the  hypocrify  of 
lyars,  having  feared  confciences  ;  forbidding  to 
marry,  and  commanding  to  abftain  from  meats, 
which  God,'  &c.'^  It  is  fo  much  eafier  to  find 
all  thefe  chara(5ters  in  a  certain  church  now  in 
the  world,  than  the  marks  of  a  true  one ;  that 
there  is  hardly  any  room  to  doubt  about  the 
right  application  of  them. 

i  he  ancient  Babylon  was  famous  for  idola*- 
try;  of  which  it  feems  to  have  been  the  firll 
feat  after  the  flood  ;  perhaps  was  the  principal, 
for  a  confiderable  time  before  either  Egypt  or 
Phoenicia  obtained  the  infamous  preheminence. 
If  fo,  this  fuggefts  one  intelligible  reafon,  why 
the  apoftate,  idolatrous  party  in  the  chriftian 
world  fliould  be  defigned  by  the  fpirit  of  pro* 
phecy,  under  the  title  of  Babylon  :  And  even 
the  Romancatholics  generally  own,  that  Rome 
is  the  Babylon  of  the  new  teitament ;  only  they 
fay,  it  is  Rome  pagan,  not  chriftian.  Which, 
tho'  faid  without  any  good  reafon,  and  even  con- 
trary to  ftrong  evidence,  was  yet  necellary  for 
them  to  fay ;  unlefs  they  would  farther  own,  that 
the  moft  dreadful  curfes  in  the  whole  bible  are 

pointed 

*  1  Tim.  IV.  I,  2,  3.  The  author  has  followed  the  learned 
and  excellent  Mr.  Jof.  Mede's  tranflation  of  this  pafiag©, 
which  is  unqueltionablj  ihe  moft  granatnatlcal  and  proper. 


4^ 


RefleBiom. 


pointed  direclly  againfl:  themfelves ;  for  thefc 
are  pointed  againft:  Babylon.  Nor  is  it  wholly 
unworthy  of  remark,  that  the  modern  Babylon 
alfo  nearly  refembles  the  ancient  in  refpcdt  of 
the  particular  kind  of  death,  which  fhe  infli(5ls 
on  thofe,  who  renounce  her  idolatrous  worfhip. 
In  the  ancient,  they  who  would  not  fall  down 
and  worfhip  idols,  were  caft  into  a  furnace  of 
fire :  In  the  modern,  burning  to  death  is  the 
ordinary  punifhment  for  fuch  diffenters  and 
fchifmatics ;  and  in  her  is  found  the  blood  of 
-prophets  and  of  faints.  The  former  was  a  moil: 
inhuman  enemy  and  perfecutor  of  God's  peo- 
ple: But  yet,  where  fhe  flew  her  thonfands, 
the  latter  has  flain  her  ten  thoufands.  So  much 
does  the  pretended  only  true  and  unerring 
church  exceed  the  ancient  Babylon  in  execrable 
cruelty,  perfecution  and  tyranny  ! 

Altho'  there  haa  been  no  other  weighty  ob- 
je(flion  againft  the  church  of  Rome,  befides  her 
idolatry,  this  alone  would  fufHcientlyjuflify  thofe 
who  have  renounced  her  communion :  '  For  what 
^  agreement  hath  the  temple  of  God  with  idols  ?' 
or  his  worfhip,  with  that  of  bread,  demons  and 
images  ?  But  fo  enormoufly  antichrilHan  is  this 
church  in  many  other  refpefts,  that  we  might 
almoil:  reckon  idolatry  itfelf  among  her  leffer 
errors  and  abominations !  In  one  view  of  it,  in- 
deed, or  merely  as  it  affefts  civil  fociety,  it  is 
far  from  being  the  greatefl:.  Noperfon,  furcly, 
can  ever  want  good  authority  to  leave  the  com* 
munion  of  fuch  a  church.  A  warrant  for  it  may 

be 


RefleBionL  j^y 

be  found  in  almoft  every  page  of  the  bible ;  par- 
tieularly  Revel,  xviii.  Where,  after  a  defcription 
of  Babylon  as  '  fallen,'  or  apolbtized  ;  as 
become  the  habitation  of  demons  [^a'/AoWoTy]  and 
a  cage  of  every  imclean  and  hateful  bird, 
&c.  it  follows,  *  And  I  heard  a  voice  from. 
'  heaven,  faying,  Come  out  of  her,  my  people, 

*  that  ye  be  not  partakers  of  her  fins,   and  that 

*  ye  receive  not  of  her  plagues  :  For  her  fins 

*  have  reached  unto  heaven,   and  God  hath  re- 

*  membered  her  iniquities.*  This  Is  fufficient 
warrant  to  come  out  of  a  church,  whether 
Rome  or  any  other,  to  vv^hich  the  chara<51crs  of 
Babylon  actually  agree.  And  how  much  foever 
the  church  of  Rome  may  curfe  thofe  of  the  Re- 
formation, or  iniprecate  upon  them  the  ven- 
geance of  Peter,  Paul,  the  ^een  of  hearue^t^^nd. 
the  other  faints  ;  v/e  may  be  pretty  fure,  that 
they,  have  neither  power  nor  inclination  to 
harm  us  on  this  account;  that  they  \n\\  ncl* 
tiler  deftroy  us  thcmfelves,  nor  pray  God  to  do 
it.  They  who  invocate  them  to  this  end,  in 
folemn  form,  and  fupport  and  propagate  what 
they  mif~call  religion,  by  pcrfecutlon,  fire  and 
fword  ;  have  far  more  rcafon  to  fear  the  im- 
precations of  thofe  faints  that  were  (lain  for  the 
word  of  God,  and  for  the  teftimony  which  they 
held  ;  whom  John  faw  under  the  altar,  while 
they  '  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  faying.  How 
'  long,  O  Lord,  holy  and  true,  doft  thou  not 
'  judge  and  avenge  our  blood  on  them  diat 
^  dwell  on  the  earth  ff — O  Babylon,  if  thou 

feared 

.    .    t  Rev.  VL 


48  RefleBions. 

feareft-  not  the  imprecations  of  thofe  faints, 
who  have  been  (lain  in  and  by  thee,  for  the 
tcftimony  which  they  held  again  ft  thy  idolatry, 
and  other  abominations ;  at  leaft  fear  him, 
whom  all  faints  and  angels  adore.  Thou  haft 
made  kings  and  nations  drunk  with  the  wine  of 
thy  fornication ;  and  thyfelf  v/ith  the  blood 
of  the  martyrs  of  Jefus.  And  tho'  thou 
glorifieft  thyfelf,  andliveft  delicioufly  by  fraud, 
oppreffion  and  blood,  faying,  Iftt  a  queetiy  and 
JJoallfee  nofdrrow  ;  yet  know,  that  thy  day  is 
coming :  For  Jlrong  is  the  Lord  God  who 
judgeth  th€e\'\ 

Deteftable  as  the  idolatry  of  the  church  of 
Rome  is,  there  are  other  of  her  principles  and 
pradices,  as  has  been  intimated,  which  more 
immediately  afFecft  the  peace  and  order  of  civil 
fociety,  the  honor  of  princes,  and  the  liberty 
and  common  rights  of  mankind.  Our  contro- 
verfy  with  her  is  not  merely  a  religious  one : 
It  is  not,  on  our  part,  only  a  defence  of  the 
worfhip  of  one  God  by  one  Mediator,  in  op- 
pofition  to  that  of  a  thoufand  demons  or  idols  ; 
of  the  authority  of  the  facred  oracles,  in  oppo- 
fition  to  that  of  idle  legends  and  traditions  i 
and  of  fober  reafon  in  oppofition  to  the  grofteft 
fanaticifm  :  But  a  defence  of  outlaws,  liberties, 
and  civil  rights  as  men,  in  oppofition  to  the 
proud  claims  and  encroachments  of  ecclefiafti-' 
cal  perfons,  who  under  the  pretext  of  religion, 
and  faving  mens  fouls,  would  engrofs  all  power 
and  property  to  themfelves,  and  reduce  us  to 

the 

%  Rev.  XVIII. 


RefleBions^  45 

the  moll  abjcft  ilavcry  :  It  is  a  defence,  if  I 
may  fo  exprefs  it,  of  the  common  rights  of 
feeing,  hearing,  touching,  fmelling,  tafting;  all 
■which  popery  attacks  and  undermines,  by  the 
doftrihc  of  tranfubftantiation  ;  and  would  take 
them  from  us,  as  a  means  of  making  us  dutiful 
fons,  or  rather  wretched  flaves  of  the  church. 
We  muft  not  fee,  tafte  or  fmell,  but  as  the 
church  is  pleafed  to  give  us  leave.  If  fhe  fhews 
us  a  morfel  of  bread,  or  a  drop  or  two  of  wine, 
after  the  prieft  has  played  a  few  tricks  with  it ; 
we  mult  believe  it  is  no  longer  bread  or  wine, 
but  God.  And  whatever  elfe  fhe  declares,  we 
mull  implicitly  receive  it  on  her  authority,  on 
pain  of  being  burnt  in  this  world,  and  damned 
m  the  next !  So  important  is  this  controverfy, 
as  the  honourable  founder  of  this  lecture  well 
knew  ;  having  himfelf  written  and  publiflied  a 
learned  difTcrtarion  relative  thereto.  %  Altho* 
We  had  no  regard  for  true  religion,  yet  we 
ought  in  reafon  and  prudence  to  deteft  the 
church  of  Rome,  in  the  fame  degree  that  we 
prize  our  freedom.  Her  laws,  more  arbitrary 
than  thofe  of  Draco,  arc,  in  efFec^-,  like  his,  all 
written  in  blood.  Popery  and  liberty  are  in- 
compatible ;  at  irreconcileable  enmity  with 
each  other.  May  gracious  Heaven  ever  pre- 
ferve  us  from  the  one,  and  blefs  us  with" 
the  other  :  At  leaft,  if  we  are  ever  to  be  fo 
unhappy  as  to  lofe  our  hberty,  God  grant  the 
lofs  may  not  be  aggravated,  by  having  it  takeii 
from  us  either  by  lordly,  tyrannical  prieftsjor  by 
G  thofe 

X  On  '  fiavcs,  and  fouls  cf  naen,  Rev,  XVIII.  13. 


JO  Refledions, 

thofe  of  the  laity,  from  whom  we  have  the  beft 
reafon  to  expert  the  defence  and  fccurity  of  it. 

Popery  is  now  making  great  ftrides  in  Eng- 
land ;  as  great,  perhaps,  as  it  did  in  the  reign 
either  of  Charles  or  James  the  fecond :  I  pray 
God,  things  may  not  at  length  be  brought  to 
as  bad  a  pafs !  Thoufands  of  weak  and  wicked 
Proteftants  are  annually  perverted  to  an  impi- 
ous, horrid  fyllem  of  tyranny  over  the  bodies 
and  fouls  of  men  ;  which  lefs  defervcs  the 
name  of  religion,  than  that  of  an  outrage  on 
the  fcnfes,  and  mod  valuable  rights  of  men, 
and  a  fatire  upon  God.  If  we  may  believe 
thofe  who  pretend  to  know,  and  probably  do, 
popifh  prielts,  jefuits,  and  other  emifTaries,  are 
very  open  and  bold  in  our  mother-country  of 
late  years,  meeting  with  no  vigorous  oppofi- 
tion  :  And  even  popijh  bi/Jjops  refide  there,  and 
go  about  to  exercife  every  part  of  their  fiin^ion^ 
-without  offence.  It  feems,  there  is  far  lefs  good 
old  proteftant  zeal  than  were  to  be  vvifhcd  and 
expe^fied :  Many,  who  call  rhcmfelvcs  prote- 
ftants, look  upon  popery  as  an  harmlcfs,  in- 
different thing,  notwithftanding  its  inherent, 
reftlefs,  intolerant  malignity,  and  moll  deihuc- 
tlve  tendency.  Heaven  only  knows  what  the 
end  of  thefe  things  will  be  ;  tlie  profpecH:  is 
alarming  ! 

TJie  agents  of  Rome,  ever  reftlefs  and  fchem- 
ing,  compaj's  jea  and  land  to  make  proj'eljtes  ; 
going  about  continually  from  country  to  coun- 
txyy/eeklrii^'  i.uh'j?n  they  inay  df'JQur :   And,  pro. 

bably, 


Refle&ipns.  r  £ 

bably,  there  is  no  proteflant  country,  in  which 
there  are  not  fome  of  thcni,  at  leall  lurking,  if 
they  dare  not  difcover  thfimfrlves.  We  fhould 
not  be  ignorant  of  their  devices  ;  nor  ever  off 
our  guard  againfl:  them.  May  this  feminary  of 
learning,  may  the  people,  minillers  and  churches 
of  New-England,  ever  be  preferved  from  popifh, 
and  all  other  pernicious  errors.  Our  Saviour, 
on  a  memorable  occafion,  faid   to  the   tempter, 

*  It  is  written,  T'hou  fhalt  worfliip  the  Lord  thy 

*  God,  and  him  only  flialt  thou  ferve.'  If  our 
popi(h  tempters  are  not  confounded  and  (ilenc'd 
with  the  like  anfwer,  it  fcems  as  if  they  had 
even  lefs  modefty  than  he,  who  once  faid,  as 
the  church  of  Rome  now,  in  c^eCt^  faith  ;  // 
thou  wilt  fall  doiun  and -worjjjip  AIE,  alljliall 
be  thine. 

To  conclude :  They  who  would  keep  them- 
felvcs  pure  from  every  fpecies  of  idolatry,  muft 
not  only  abltain  from  the  worfliip  of  idols  in 
the  common  grofs  fenfe,  as  praftlfed  by  Pagans 
and  Papifts  ;  but  alfo  from  an  inordinate  love 
of  this  world,  its  pleafures  and  enjoyments ; 
and  love  God  fupremcly.  The  apollle  ftiles  a 
covetous  man  '  an  idolater'  :f  For  there  are 
many  that  make  gold  their  hope,  and  fay  unto 
the  fine  gold,  '  I'hou  art  my  confidence,'  even 
before  it  is  formed  into  an  image  by  art,  and 
man's  device.  By  the  fame  rule,  all  other 
wicked  men  are  in  fome  fenfe  idolaters.  What- 
ever ufurps  that   place,   that  preheminencc  in 

the 
t  Eph.  V.  5.  and  Col.  I!I.  5. 


5  2  RefleBions. 

the  affcftlons  of  men,  which  is  due  to  God 
alone;  that  is  their  idol,  that  is  their  God. 
How  many  idolaters  are  there  then,  even  among 
proteftants  ?  They  only,  who  love  God  above 
all  things,  wor/hip  him  in  fpirit  and  in  truth, 
whatever  church  they  live  in  commuion  with. 
May  fuch  worfhippers,  whom  the  Father 
feeketh,  be  incrcafed  in  every  church,  to  his 
glory;  even  till  *  the  man  of  sin,'  whofe 
coming  is  after  the  working  of  fatan,  w^ith  all 
deceivablenefs  of  unrighteoufnefs  in  them  that 
perifh,  fhall  finally  be  confumcd  by  the  breath- 
of  theLord,  and  '  deftroyed  with  the  brightnefs 
^  of  his  coming' !  * 

*  2  TheiT.  n. 
PAGE  30,  line  12  from  the  top,  read,  thofe  things 

Advertifement. 

AFTER  repeated  inquiry,  the  author  CoUld  never 
obtain  a  fight  either  of  the  whole  Rofarie  of  the 
Virgin  Mary,  or  of  the  whole  Mary-Pfalter.  Thofe 
part^  of  them,  which  are  produced  in  the  foregoing 
difcourfe,  were  fele£led  from  among  others  of  the 
fame  tenor,  and  tranilated  by  him  from  the  Latin,  as 
he  found  it  cited  by  authors  of  reputation ;  particularly 
docTtor  Henry  More.     For  other  citations  he  is  wholly 

accountable  himfelf. Many  other  prayers  to   the 

fai.iis,  even  in  the  early  ages  of  the  church,  may  be 
feen  in  Sir  I.  Newton's  Obfervat'ions  on  Daniel,  Szc. 
Part  I.  ch.  14.  And  among  them  a  pretty  remarkable 
prayer  of  Gregory  Nazianzen  to  St.  Athanafius ;  the 
latter  of  whom,  as  Sir  Ifaac  obferves,  *  even  from  his 

*  youth,  looked  upon  the  dead  faints  as  mediators  of 

*  our  prayers/   &c. 


•*^» 


/■ 


